Barack Obama

State Report on Recovery Contracting Shows Significant Investment, Job Creation

Washington, Oct 15, 2009 -- Members of Maryland’s Congressional Delegation issued the following statement today after the Obama Administration released preliminary Recovery Act reporting on federal contracting for each state.

The data reports that Maryland contractors have been awarded a total of $590 million and have directly saved or created approximately 965 private sector jobs. Today’s numbers are the first to be issued by the independent Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board, and are a preview of the comprehensive Recovery Act report to be released on October 30th.    » read more »

October 15, 2009 -- WASHINGTON – Today, President Barack Obama announced his intent to nominate the following individuals to key administration posts:

* Clifford L. Stanley, Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, Department of Defense
* Scott Quehl, Chief Financial Officer and Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Administration, Department of Commerce
* Anne Slaughter Andrew, Ambassador to the Republic of Costa Rica, Department of State
* Lynnae M. Ruttledge, Commissioner, Rehabilitation Services Administration, Department of Education
* Jill Long Thompson, Member, Farm Credit Administration Board    » read more »

Senior Administration Officials Joined President to See Recovery Progress Firsthand

October 15, 2009 --
WASHINGTON, D.C. – On his sixth trip to New Orleans since Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, President Barack Obama today visited the Dr. Martin Luther King Charter School and held a town hall event to hear directly from the people of Louisiana. President Obama discussed both the progress made in the region and the challenges that remain. In his first public event in New Orleans, President Obama also spent time answering questions from everyday people.    » read more »

Oct. 15, 2009 -- CHARLESTON -- West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin, along with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the West Virginia Division of Highways, this week announced the awarding of 26 projects as part of the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act totaling approximately $6.3 million.

These grants will provide West Virginia communities with funding assistance for the design and development of non-traditional projects such as improving safety for pedestrians and bicyclists through the construction of sidewalks and trails.

Listed by county, grant recipients for 2009 ARRA funding include:

BERKELEY
$329,000 to the City of Martinsburg for the Martinsburg Town Square Pedestrian Plaza

BROOKE
$200,000 to the City of Wellsburg for the Wellsburg Sidewalks 2009    » read more »

Rhode Island Governor Donald L. Carcieri and the Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources (OER) today issued contracts to the state’s seven regional Community Action Program Agencies (CAP agencies) to distribute $12.2 million for the statewide Weatherization Program, funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). Under the Recovery Act, Rhode Island will received $20 million in weatherization funds.    » read more »

Oct. 15, 2009 -- Harrisburg – The commonwealth’s first Citizens’ Update on its Recovery Act spending and programs is now available at www.recovery.pa.gov, Pennsylvania Governor Edward G. Rendell said today.

The report, produced by the state’s Office of Accountability, provides a user-friendly narrative that expands on the required quarterly federal reports the commonwealth submitted on Oct. 9.

“Pennsylvania is among the top 10 states in terms of putting its Recovery transportation funds to use,” Rendell said. “We also want to be among the best in transparency. That means providing timely and easy-to-understand information to our citizens about how we are investing Recovery dollars. The Citizens’ Update is part of doing just that.”    » read more »

U.S. Treasury’s tax credit exchange funds to restart 10 projects, create jobs

BOSTON – October 15, 2009 – As part of the Patrick-Murray Administration’s Massachusetts Recovery Plan to secure the state’s economic future, Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick today announced that the state will utilize $50.3 million in federal recovery funds to create hundreds of jobs and revive affordable housing developments stalled throughout the Commonwealth due to the lack of equity available in low-income housing tax credit markets.    » read more »

Businesses Also Eligible for Solar Thermal Grants

October 14, 2009 -- Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell today announced the state is dedicating $4 million in federal stimulus funds to help homeowners and businesses pay for the installation of solar-powered hot water heating systems, an investment that will lower utility bills and promote the use of alternative fuels.

“I am proud of Connecticut’s leadership in promoting and using greener, cleaner technology,” Governor Rell said. “This incentive will help hundreds of families and businesses make the switch to renewable energy by saving them money on installation costs and ultimately their hot water bills. It would also be a much-needed boost in business for those who sell and install these systems.”    » read more »

Funding Provided by the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act

Washington, DC – U.S. Senators Blanche Lincoln and Mark Pryor and U.S. Representatives Marion Berry (AR-01), Vic Snyder (AR-02), and Mike Ross (AR-04) today announced $5.1 million for forest service projects in Arkansas. The funds are allocated through the U.S. Department of Agriculture and provided by the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act.    » read more »

October 15, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Charlie Melancon (LA-03) took part in President Barack Obama’s first visit to Louisiana during his administration. Following the visit, Congressman Melancon made the following statement:

“President Obama’s visit to Louisiana put a national spotlight on the progress we've made and reminded Americans that our recovery is not complete,” said Rep. Melancon. “We are grimly watching our coastal wetlands disappear and desperately-needed hurricane protection projects are still stalled by red tape and lack of funding.

“But today, we were able to get our President, our Governor, our legislators and our neighbors all in one room to talk about how we finish the job. Now it’s time to deliver for Louisiana.”    » read more »

October 14, 2009 -- Fairfax County, Virginia -- THE PRESIDENT: Hello, everybody. Before I begin, I just want to thank my outstanding Secretary of Transportation, Ray LaHood, who's with us today. And I want to thank the folks at Cherry Hill Construction for having me here today. We just took a look at this construction site and I had a chance to talk to all the outstanding men and women who are working here.

Talking with them was a reminder of just how hard they work every single day, just how hard they fight on behalf of their families, and just how hard these times have been for working men and women like them.    » read more »

October 14, 2009 -- WASHINGTON – Today, President Barack Obama announced his intent to nominate the following individuals to key administration posts:

* Joseph F. Bader, Re-nominated as Member, Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board
* Jessie H. Roberson, Member, Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board
* Peter S. Winokur, Re-nominated as Member and Nominee for Chair, Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board
* Robert Reischauer, Member, Board of Trustees of the Social Security Trust Funds
* Alan Kessler, Governor, Board of Governors of the Postal Service

President Obama also announced that he will appoint the following individuals to posts in the administration:

* Henry Anderson, Member, Advisory Board on Radiation and Worker Health    » read more »

October 14, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC -- President Obama announced his support for an additional $250 Economic Recovery Payment to the seniors, veterans and people with disabilities who are struggling to make ends meet with retirement savings that have not fully recovered from their losses over the first year of the recession.

"Even as we seek to bring about recovery, we must act on behalf of those hardest hit by this recession. That is why I am announcing my support for an additional $250 in emergency recovery assistance to seniors, veterans, and people with disabilities to help them make it through these difficult times.    » read more »

More than 8,000 ARRA Projects Planned, Nearly 5,000 Under Construction

October 14, 2009 -- FAIRFAX, Va. – President Barack Obama joined U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today at the site of the Fairfax County Parkway Extension in Virginia to announce more than 8,000 highway projects have been funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) since its passage in February.    » read more »

Obama Administration Announces $60 Million In Housing Counseling Grants To Nearly 500 National, State And Local Agencies

October 14, 2009 -- WASHINGTON – Hundreds of thousands of American families will have a greater opportunity to find housing or keep the homes they have because of $60 million in housing counseling and counseling training grants announced today by U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan.

Housing counseling grants will assist families in becoming first-time homeowners and remaining homeowners after their purchase. HUD-approved counseling agencies not only provide homeownership counseling, but also offer financial literacy training to renters and homeless individuals and families.    » read more »