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Demand a Stimulus for Unemployed Teens
  1. Signatures
    163 out of 200
    Petitioning
    1. The President of the United States (+ 1 other)
      Petitioning
      close
      • The President of the United States
      • The U.S. Senate
  2. Created By
    Megan Cottrell
    Chicago, IL
About this Petition Petition Letter

Youth unemployment is above 70 percent. Jobs that used to go to teenagers are being taken by retirees and stay-at-home moms reentering the workplace, or eliminated entirely due to the recession.

This is a critical problem because young people who don't work show lower rates of employment later in life. Without youth employment, we risk our future labor force. 

Creating a youth stimulus program will stimulate spending, curb violence on our streets and help create a generation of skilled, motivated workers.

Last year's stimulus bill authorized over a billion dollars for youth summer jobs, and Congress recently considered continuing and expanding that coverage. An amendment to the Senate jobs bill would have put $1.3 billion towards summer jobs and another $1.3 billion toward year-round opportunities. But that amendment was recently struck down.

Tell your representatives to pass a stimulus bill for teenagers to create a new TARP - Teen Age Relief Program.

Photo credit: longhorndave

Recent Signatures

Please Give Our Nation's Teenagers a Stimulus Program

Greetings,

With youth unemployment at 71 percent, it's important that we focus on the teen labor market in the midst of our recession. Young people who can't find work during their teens and early adult life show lower rates of employment later in life and higher rates of violence and criminal activity.

In order to keep our youth safe and ensure our future workforce and tax system, we need a bailout for youth - money set aside for summer and after-school job programs.

Creating a youth stimulus program will stimulate spending, curb violence on our streets and help create a generation of skilled, motivated workers.

Last year's stimulus bill authorized over a billion dollars for youth summer jobs, and Congress recently considered continuing and expanding that coverage. An amendment to the Senate jobs bill would have put $1.3 billion towards summer jobs and another $1.3 billion toward year-round opportunities.

But that amendment was recently struck down. We're asking for that legislation to be passed, creating a TARP - Teen Age Relief Program - bailout.

Even though we're in the midst of an economic crisis, we must look to the future and create opportunities for our young people today to ensure a brighter tomorrow.

[Your name]

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