Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) issued the following statement today on economic stimulus legislation that will provide $300-$600 in rebates to most households, including seniors living on Social Security. President Bush signed the bill into law this afternoon.
“The economic stimulus bill signed by the President today will provide badly-needed help to hundreds of thousands of Rhode Islanders – people who, in tough economic times, have stretched their budgets to pay for gas, for home heating oil, for groceries, or for mortgage or rent payments. I’m pleased that this bill also includes assistance for the many seniors in our state who live on Social Security, and who were excluded from President Bush’s original proposal.
“I’m going to monitor this process closely to help make sure seniors in our state have all the information they need to take advantage of this badly-needed help. Because for the thousands of Rhode Island seniors struggling every day just to get by, a little breathing room can make an enormous difference.”
Whitehouse, a member of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, wrote Senate leaders in January to push for the inclusion of seniors who rely on Social Security benefits in the stimulus package. Congress passed the measure last week.
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