Unemployment

October 31, 2009 -- WASHINGTON – In this week’s address, President Barack Obama said that while times are still too difficult for too many American families, this week saw real evidence of progress in the economy. On Thursday, we learned that in the third quarter the GDP grew for the first time in over a year, and grew faster than it has in the previous two years.

And on Friday, reports from across the country made it clear that Recovery Act has now created or saved over one million jobs. The American people are still hurting, but these are signs that we are starting to move in the right direction.

Remarks of President Barack Obama
As Prepared for Delivery
Weekly Address
Saturday, October 31, 2009    » read more »

Federal Funds Are Helping To Put Sacramento On The Path To Recovery

October 30, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congresswoman Doris Matsui (CA-05) applauded the Obama Administration’s commitment to transparency and accountability, and the release of the jobs created so far under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) through September 30, 2009.    » read more »

30-Oct-2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Barbara A. Mikulski (D-Md.) issued this statement following the release of the White House report showing that 650,000 jobs were created or saved in America through stimulus funds, including more than 14,000 in Maryland:

“The Recovery Act was always about jobs, jobs, jobs. When President Obama took office, he inherited a terrible mess: an economy on the brink of collapse, shedding an average of 700,000 jobs a month, frozen credit markets, banks refusing to lend to students and small businesses.    » read more »

Seasonally Adjusted Data

October 29, 2009 -- In the week ending Oct. 24, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 530,000, a decrease of 1,000 from the previous week's unrevised figure of 531,000. The 4-week moving average was 526,250, a decrease of 6,000 from the previous week's unrevised average of 532,250.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 4.4 percent for the week ending Oct. 17, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate of 4.5 percent.    » read more »

October 29, 2009 -- U.S. Senator Mark Begich today announced the award of over $15 million in funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) for development of geothermal fields and research into new geothermal technologies for three Alaska based entities.

"Alaska already leads the nation in producing electricity from the lowest temperature geothermal waters. However, our efforts to use this abundant energy source have barely broken the surface of potential energy production," Sen. Begich said. "The Department of Energy is right to look to our state when developing new clean energy technologies. Alaskans have as much to gain from the development of affordable and clean energy technology as anywhere in the United States."

The awards include:    » read more »

Funds to Boost Economy, Create Jobs and Protect Public Health

10/20/2009 -- (PHILADELPHIA - October 20, 2009) In a move that stands to create jobs, boost the local economy, and protect human health and the environment for the people in the District of Columbia, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced today it has awarded more than $38.9 million to improve aging water infrastructure in the District.

This new infusion of money provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 will help the District Department of the Environment, and DC Water and Sewer Authority finance water projects that are essential to protecting public health and the environment.    » read more »

October 26, 2009 -- NEWARK, DE – Senators Tom Carper and Ted Kaufman (both D-Del.) and Governor Jack Markell, among others, announced today that the State of Delaware has reached the $1 billion mark for American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA, a.k.a. ‘stimulus’) funds committed to the State of Delaware. Gov. Markell also announced that nearly 1,000 jobs had been created over the last 8 months thanks to the Recovery Act funding.

“What an exciting announcement,” Sen. Carper said. “When I voted for the bill I hoped it would improve lives, create jobs, and help rebuild our economy. Stimulus funding has done all of those things and made a big difference in Delaware and I am excited about all of the opportunities.”    » read more »

October 27, 2009 -- Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Russ Feingold sent the following statement urging his colleagues to swiftly pass an extension of unemployment insurance.

“We must quickly pass an unemployment insurance extension to provide desperately needed relief for Americans, including thousands of Wisconsinites, who are in danger of exhausting their unemployment benefits. Unemployment insurance provides a crucial lifeline to families to help them afford housing, food, medical expenses and other essential needs as they work to get back on their feet. With Wisconsin’s unemployment rate over eight percent, now is the time for Congress to support this extension.”    » read more »

October 27, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Honolulu will receive $5,347,598 to upgrade its electrical grid as part of an effort to reduce outage times, expand the energy efficient skill sets of employees, and retain jobs Senators Daniel K. Inouye and Daniel K. Akaka announced today.

"We've all experienced the chaos created by power outages, both big and small, and these funds will help modernize Oahu's aging electrical grid," said Senator Inouye. "These improvements should move us closer to a time when we aren't sitting in the dark very long when the grid goes down."

"This Recovery Act funding will allow Hawaiian Electric to invest in modern electrical grid improvements that will reduce power outages on Oahu while preserving jobs," said Senator Akaka.    » read more »

State Governments Expected to Credit Recovery Act with Creating, Saving At Least 250,000 Education Jobs Nationwide

October 19, 2009 -- WASHINGTON – The Obama Administration today announced that preliminary indications are that state governments will credit the Recovery Act with creating and saving at least 250,000 education jobs across the country when reports filed on Recovery Act education spending to-date are posted online later this month.

"This is one more indication of how the Recovery Act is helping soften the blow of tough times, by keeping educators on the job and teachers in the classroom," said Vice President Joe Biden.    » read more »

Governor Rendell Announces Application for $5 Million Federal Recovery Act Grant to Train, Place Health Care Workers

Oct. 19, 2009 -- Harrisburg – Pennsylvania Governor Edward G. Rendell today said the commonwealth’s application for a $5 million American Recovery and Reinvestment Act grant will help provide training and placement services for approximately 1,430 Pennsylvanians seeking careers in health care.

“To help ensure that Pennsylvanians have access to the high-quality care they deserve, our workforce must have a greater number of highly skilled health care workers,” Governor Rendell said. “Health care is among our most important industries and it is adding jobs – even during this recession.”    » read more »

ARRA Funds Support Plans To Improve Drinking Water Quality in Evanston, Aurora, and McLean, Kendall, and Sangamon Counties

October 19, 2009 -- Illinois Governor Pat Quinn and Illinois Environmental Protection Agency Director Doug Scott announced grants and loans for environmental projects to improve wastewater quality in Illinois, using funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). The Recovery program was authorized earlier this year by the United States Congress and President Barack Obama.    » read more »

Introduces Forty New Hybrid Buses to the Area

October 19, 2009 -- Philadelphia, PA – Today, Congressman Joe Sestak (PA-07) took part in announcing the procurement of 40 new hybrid buses by the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA).    » read more »

$400 Million Benefitting County; 55 Officer Positions Among Jobs Created

October 19, 2009 -- LARGO, MD - Senator Barbara Mikulski and Benjamin L. Cardin, and Representatives Steny H. Hoyer, Chris Van Hollen and Donna Edwards held a press conference today in Prince George's County to talk about how the federal Recovery Act is working to create jobs and invest in critical priorities.

Preliminary reporting information shows that, to date, county jurisdictions, businesses and federal facilities have been awarded at least $400 million in Recovery funds, which have gone to projects investing in transportation, clean water, education, workforce development, public safety and housing, among others.    » read more »