Friday, September 24, 2010

Grassley said the Labor Department is apparently allowing stimulus dollars that were supposed to support green jobs to be spent on these sorts of positions.  The Labor Department also administers the spending of $125 million a year on "energy efficiency and renewable energy" worker retraining through the Green Jobs Act of 2007.  That law specifies that federal dollars will support retrofitting buildings, biofuels and wind turbines.

"I'm a strong supporter of green jobs, and taxpayers deserve an honest reporting of how their money is being spent.  This kind of work is not what most people would think of as green jobs," Grassley said.  "It's a matter of responsible stewardship of tax dollars.  Since February 2009, the Department of Labor has given out $490 million in stimulus dollars for 'green jobs training,' and the Department tells me that it's still working to define green jobs."

Grassley began pressing the Secretary of Labor, Hilda Solis, for information about how the administration defines a green job in June.  In response, an assistant secretary said that the Bureau of Labor Statistics is "working to develop a definition for green jobs sectors and jobs" and directed Grassley to the Occupational Information Network of the Labor Department, or O*NET.  O*NET listed jobs that could be classified as green, including those now in question.

Grassley followed up on his initial inquiry in a letter sent today which asks the Secretary of Labor what changes, if any, are being made to the stimulus spending program at the Department of Labor to make sure tax dollars aren't squandered on jobs that aren't really green and on programs that produce few employment results.  Grassley's June letter and the Labor Department's response are attached to today's letter.

Grassley is conducting congressional oversight of stimulus spending by various federal agencies, including the Department of Energy and the Department of Housing and Urban Development.  The stimulus bill enacted in February 2009 has an $814 billion price tag.  Grassley did not vote for the measure.

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Senator Chuck Grassley made the comment below about the Senate Majority Leader delaying a decision on whether to raise taxes until after the November elections.  As Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, Grassley worked to get through Congress bipartisan tax relief, including the 2001 across-the-board rate reduction.  This legislation made the tax code more progressive.  It reduced the tax rate on the lowest taxable income from 15 to 10 percent. It removed millions of low-income workers from the tax rolls entirely.  It increased the child tax credit from $500 to $1,000 and expanded the credit to low-income people without any tax liability.  The legislation included marriage penalty tax relief.  Twelve Democratic senators supported the 2001 legislation.  Two years later, after 9-11, Grassley worked to get through dividends and capital gains tax rate cuts to help spur economic growth.  The result was more revenue to the federal Treasury.  The expanding economy helped reduce the annual budget deficit from $415 billion in 2004 to $167 billion in 2007.

Grassley comment:

"This delay is irresponsible and reckless.  It's no wonder the American people are fed up with the leadership of Congress.  Every family in America faces a major tax increase next year because the Senate majority leader has failed to take action to prevent it.  Without congressional action, a family of four who earns $50,000 will see a $2,155 increase next year.  If congressional leaders are stalling in order in order to protect their members from votes or to raise more revenue for even more government spending, they are completely out of touch with reality.  People understand the problem isn't that they're taxed too little, but that Washington spends too much.

"Leaving people with uncertainty is a dereliction of duty.  One party has control of the White House and both houses of Congress and still can't get the people's business done.  And uncertainty is terrible for the economy.  Small businesses don't hire people while they sit in limbo, wondering if they'll get hit with a tax increase."

"Our commitment to putting the customer first has helped us earn a 5-star dealer rating at Kimberly Chrysler/Jeep/Dodge, Davenport and the President's Award at Courtesy Lincoln/Mercury, Moline. And the incomparable car and truck buying and service experience given to every customer helped us earn the #1 Dealership award from the Quad-City Times." added Mr. Zude.

Courtesy Ford, located on River Drive only five minutes west of the Centennial Bridge, will sell and service the full line of new Ford trucks and SUVs, including America's best selling truck, the Ford F-150. A complete selection of current and late model Ford Certified Pre-Owned cars and trucks is also available at the new Courtesy Ford. "We are committed to providing Ford customers with a sales and service experience unlike any other." Says Zude, "When we say 'Whatever it takes we'll do it!', we mean it."

The new Courtesy Ford will be open 8:30am - 8:00pm Monday and Thursday, 8:30am - 6:00pm Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, and 8:00am - 5:00pm on Saturdays.  Service will be available 8:00am - 6:00pm Monday through Friday and 8:00am - 2:00pm on Saturday. Call (563) 326-4011 for sales and service at Courtesy Ford, 3921 West River Drive, Davenport.

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Store offers a wide range of parts, recognized national brands and free services including windshield wiper and battery installation

DAVENPORT, IA (September 14, 2010) - Advance Auto Parts, Inc., a leading automotive aftermarket retailer of parts, batteries, accessories and maintenance items, today announced it will open its first store in Davenport at 902 W. Kimberly Road, Suite 21 on September 16th.

Company officials said they chose this location for the store because it's convenient to where their customers live and shop as well as the garages where they take their vehicles for LaCinda Bader is the new General Manager and works with nine other Team Members there.  A 25-year veteran of the automotive and retail sales industries, Mrs. Bader has been with the Advance Auto Parts Team for almost seven years.

The new store offers customers a wide range of parts and recognized national brands as well as several free services. Store Team Members will install windshield wipers for free, and also install batteries following a complimentary check of the vehicle's electrical system and old battery. The store offers fast parts delivery to local commercial customers, such as professional mechanics and garages. Customers also can drop off used motor oil and batteries for recycling - ensuring that these materials don't end up in landfills where they could harm the environment.

Vehicle know-how is made easier than ever by Advance helping customers master their machines. The company's Web site, www.AdvanceAutoParts.com, offers articles, online videos and audio and video podcasts in the Web site's "Advance Know-How" section.  "These free automotive know-how tools, and the expert advice the new store's ten Team Members provide, help customers to keep their wheels turning and their lives on track," said Paul Braswell, District Manager for Advance Auto Parts. "The right parts at the right price are as important as the right advice and educational tools to finish the job."

The store is open Monday through Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. and on Sunday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Other area stores are located at 4114 Avenue of Cities in Moline, IL and 3813 18th Avenue in Rock Island, IL.

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About Advance Auto Parts

Headquartered in Roanoke, Va., Advance Auto Parts, a leading automotive aftermarket retailer of parts, accessories, batteries, and maintenance items in the United States, serves both the do-it-yourself and professional installer markets. As of July 17, 2010, the Company operated 3,497 stores in 39 states, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.

Advance Auto Parts supports a variety of non-profit organizations at the corporate and local levels and encourages its Team Members to become actively involved in various community- based charitable organizations. Nationally, Advance Auto Parts is a strong supporter of United Way and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF). Since 1994, Advance Auto Parts has raised more than $20 million for JDRF, including a record-breaking campaign in 2009 which raised $3.8 million for diabetes research, making Advance Auto Parts JDRF's number one corporate partner.

Additional information about the Company, employment opportunities, customer services, and on-line shopping for parts and accessories can be found on the Company's web site at www.AdvanceAutoParts.com.

NEW STORE INFORMATION:

Advance Auto Parts
902 W. Kimberly Rd., Ste. 21
Davenport, IA 52806
563-391-0204