October 24, 2011

Washington, D.C.---Nevada Senator Harry Reid issued the following statement today after Republicans unanimously blocked the ‘Teachers, First Responders Back to Work Act,’ a bill that would create or save approximately 400,000 jobs for teachers, cops and first responders. The bill would have been fully paid for with a 0.5% surtax on taxpayers making more than $1 million a year.

“Republicans unanimously blocked a bill that would have kept 400,000 teachers in the classroom and first responders on the job because they refuse to ask millionaires to pay their fair share. By asking millionaires to pay an extra half a penny on the dollar, this bill would have created jobs by keeping our communities safe and ensuring that our children continue to have access to a high-quality education.

“Unfortunately, protecting millionaires and defeating President Obama are more important to my Republican colleagues than creating jobs and getting our economy back on track. Democrats agree with the overwhelming majority of Americans that teachers and first responder jobs are worth defending, while lower taxes for millionaires and billionaires are not.”

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