News Release: Granato Hails Recovery Act Success, Calls Out Bennett's Hypocrisy

Granato Hails Recovery Act Success,
Calls Out Bennett's Hypocrisy

SALT LAKE CITY – U.S. Senate candidate Sam Granato will join with Americans everywhere Wednesday in commemorating the one-year anniversary of the passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

“The Recovery Act helped to pull our country back from the brink of a full-scale economic collapse,” Granato said. “It has saved or created nearly two million jobs, provided a tax cut for 95 percent of America’s working families, and made crucial investments in clean energy technology and our country’s infrastructure. Without these important first steps toward economic resurgence, we would likely be facing down another Great Depression with little hope of recovery on the horizon. Millions of Americans are better off today because of the Recovery Act’s success.”

Granato also called out incumbent Sen. Bob Bennett, R-Utah, for attempting to score political points by opposing the legislation.

The Washington Times recently reported Bennett secretly lobbied for hundreds of thousands of federal stimulus dollars behind closed doors, even while he voted against the bill’s passage and opposed it publicly. He later touted Recovery Act funding for Central Utah Water as an example of how he had personally worked to get money for “Utah projects that would create jobs.” Granato believes Utahns deserve more honesty and principled leadership from their representatives in Washington.

“Bob Bennett’s rhetoric doesn’t match reality,” he said. “He knew the Recovery Act would work when he voted against it last year, but he was more worried about toeing the party line than solving America’s problems. Now he’s trying to claim credit for the success of a bill he voted against just a year ago. He can’t have it both ways. This is blatant hypocrisy and the people of Utah deserve a senator who means what he says and stands by his principles.”

Though the Recovery Act has helped many Utah families weather the economic storm over the past year, Granato said he believes much work remains to truly move the country toward a robust recovery.

“People are still hurting and they need help,” he said. “While the Recovery Act has undoubtedly helped limit job losses, the unemployment rate remains unacceptably high. I’ve always believed the talent and determination of the American worker provided the engine for our economic growth. It’s time for Washington to put aside partisan bickering and ideological nonsense, and instead find common sense solutions to put our greatest assets back to work and propel the United States toward a brighter, more prosperous future. I plan to work tirelessly toward that end as Utah’s next senator.”

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