Read some of the highlights of Barbara Boxer's record on revitalizing the California economy.
- Senator Boxer supports targeted tax cuts to help revitalize the economy. Among other items, she supports a permanent Research and Development tax credit, accelerated depreciation of new business equipment, and a 20% tax credit for broadband investments focused on rural and underserved areas. With Senator John Ensign (R-NV), she co-authored the Invest in the USA Act to reduce the tax on profits earned abroad by U.S. companies if those profits are invested in creating American jobs. The Invest in the USA Act was signed into law in 2004 as part of a larger tax bill.
- In 1998, Senator Boxer secured an additional $5.3 billion for California highways. In February 2004, the Senate passed a bill in which Senator Boxer secured an increase of $6.1 billion for California highways and a $2 billion increase for California transit. If the 2004 bill becomes law, Senator Boxer will have more than doubled California's federal highway funding since she came to office.
- As part of her support for California's technology businesses, she authored a bill to jumpstart the broadband Internet market. Written with Senator George Allen (R-VA), the Jumpstart Broadband Act of 2003 would require the Federal Communications Commission to make more spectrum available for use by devices that incorporate new technology such as Wireless Fidelity (WiFi). This bill would help reinvigorate the high-tech industry in California and help give users new ways of accessing the Internet. The Federal Communications Commission is implementing Senator Boxer's proposal.
- In 2004, Senator Boxer offered a wide-ranging amendment to the budget to help American workers and create more jobs. This amendment included tax credits for companies that create new U.S.-based manufacturing jobs as well as additional funding to management expertise and technical assistance to small and medium sized manufacturers.
- To help states like California that were hard-hit by the recession, Senator Boxer supported providing direct federal grants to states to help cover budget shortfalls. In 2003, Senator Boxer voted to provide $40 billion in aid to states and localities.
- Senator Boxer has cosponsored numerous bills to provide homeland security grants to the states. In 2004, Senator Boxer cosponsored legislation to authorize $7 billion each year in grants to local first responders. These grants would help state and local governments purchase new equipment, upgrade communication systems, and pay for overtime costs.
- To help small businesses offer health insurance to their employees, Senator Boxer authored a bill in 2003 to provide these employers with a tax credit to offset the cost.
- Senator Boxer is an outspoken advocate for California's farm economy. She has worked to reduce foreign trade barriers on the export of many California products and has voted to preserve and expand the Market Access Program that aids the marketing of U.S. agriculture products overseas. She has also led fights against such unfair foreign trade practices as dumping of foreign garlic, almonds, and tomatoes.Senator Boxer is a leading voice opposing military base closures in California. She personally testified at base closure hearings in Washington and California arguing California had been unfairly and disproportionately affected by the base closure process. In 2001, Senator Boxer opposed another proposed base closure round. Senator Boxer and her allies successfully pressured the Bush Administration to postpone a new round of base closures from 2003 to 2005.
- Entertainment is one of California's major industries and one of America's largest exports. Senator Boxer has worked to protect the intellectual property of our film and music industries, both here and abroad, through her support of anti-piracy measures. She is an original cosponsor of bipartisan legislation to curb the illegal practice of downloading copy written material off the Internet on Peer-to-Peer (P-2-P) networks. She has also advocated and voted for tougher copyright protection bills.
- To aid those who have lost their jobs, Senator Boxer supported a thirteen week extension of unemployment benefits and supported expanded job training programs to help laid off workers obtain the skills they need to find new jobs. She continues to oppose attempts by the Administration to cut job training funding and has voted to increase funding for job training.
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