President Obama, Vice President Biden and Other Administration Officials to Highlight Surge in Recovery Act Infrastructure Projects This Summer

Vice President Joe Biden today delivered a report, “Summer of Recovery: Project Activity Increases in Summer 2010,” to the President detailing the surge in Recovery Act infrastructure projects that will be underway this summer – and the jobs those projects will create into the fall and through the end of 2010.

The White House reports that the Summer of 2010 is "poised to be the most active Recovery Act season yet, with tens of thousands of projects underway across the country that will help to create jobs for American workers and economic growth for businesses, large and small." Highlighing that thousands of road, bridge, water and other infrastructure projects will breaking ground this summer.

Biden says the American people will get to see first-hand the Recovery Act dollars being put to work in their communities making long-overdue infrastructure improvements, creating new opportunities for local economic growth and supporting well-paid jobs.

While most of us aren't in the construction, or clean water industries, or live in the areas mentioned, the report, outlines where the jobs will be 2010, as created by the Recovery Act.

Highway Projects

· There will be six times as many highway projects underway in July 2010 as in July 2009 – projects will surge from 1,750 last summer to over 10,700 this summer.

· While last summer about 9,185 miles of highway started being improved, this summer 29,244 miles will start being improved – that’s the equivalent of ten cross-country road trips on improved highways.

· States across the country will see an increase in highway projects this summer: Colorado: This summer there will be 90 highway projects underway versus 23 last summer; Michigan: This summer there will be 646 highway projects underway versus 21 last summer; California: This summer there will be 450 highway projects underway versus 9 last summer.

Clean and Drinking Water

· This summer 2,828 clean and drinking water projects will be underway versus 129 last summer – more than 20 times as many.

· States across the country will see an increase in clean and drinking water projects this summer: Michigan: This summer there will be 91 active clean and drinking water projects versus 24 last summer; Ohio: This summer there will be 205 active clean and drinking water projects versus 42 last summer; Massachusetts: This summer there will be 111 active clean and drinking water projects versus 45 last summer.

National Parks

· This July, there will be 799 projects underway at our national parks versus 101 last July – nearly 8 times as many this summer.

· This July, there will be 1,711 public lands projects underway versus 106 last July – 16 times as many this summer.

Home Weatherization

· This summer, 82,000 homes will be weatherized versus 3,000 last summer – 27 times as many homes this summer as last.

· States across the country will see an increase in the number of homes weatherized this summer: California: This summer there will be 5,887 homes weatherized versus 0 last summer; Michigan: This summer there will be 5,163 homes weatherized versus 106 last summer; Massachusetts: This summer there will be 2,360 homes weatherized versus 111 last summer; Ohio: This summer there will be 4,200 homes weatherized versus 2,044 last summer.

The report also cites that the job impact of the Recovery Act will be continue to climb through the summer and into the fall, eventually hitting the original target of 3.5 million jobs by the end of 2010.

President Obama plans to visit Columbus, Ohio on Friday, June 18 where he will mark the first of many significant Recovery Act milestones.

By year's end the Obama Administration expects nearly 3.5 million newly created jobs.

Hopefully, we'll see these Recovery Act jobs to hit our area before then. The employment rate in the DC metro area is still at an all time high of nearly 9%.

In wake of the Zika virus, travel, spring break still O.K.

Representatives from the CDC and the NIH were on hand at the White House during Monday's press briefing to update the public and address concerns over the Zika virus that has caused some babies to be born with deformities. Dr. Anne Schuchat from the Centers for Disease Control and Dr. Tony Fauci from the National Institutes of Health told reporters that a vaccine is in the making. The pair also said they are particulary concerned about women who are pregnant, or plan to get pregnant, who have either traveled to or plan to travel to areas of South America and the Carribean known to have the Zika virus. Despite those bold statements, the doctors said there is no wide-spread concern and that Americans should continue to travel, including during upcoming college spring breaks -- when college students travel to warmer climate destinations to escape winter weather. "Travel to Zika-affected areas is very common among Americans, and we don’t think that needs to stop...

Congressional Black Caucus Week Tackles Tough Issues: Among Them Youth Unemployment and Education

Congressional members convene at today's Congressional Black Caucus Town Hall Meeting. Photo/CD Brown Mark your calendars to attend this year's Congressional Black Caucus events at the Washington Convention Center. This year's theme Vision, Journey, Mission will address many topics concerning Americans including jobs and education (especially for youth), and economic advancement. In today's Town Hall meeting titled 'Educating Our Way To Prosperity' members on the panel that included Congressman Elijah Cummings, Representative Dianne Watson (D-CA), Chaka Fattah (D-PA), and author of The Other Wes Moore talked about educating youth for green jobs, and to think entrepreneurial instead working for someone else. "We must develop entrepreneurial opportunities", said Fattah. "In many cultures it's a common discussion to educate youth to think about starting a business." Congressman Elijah Cummings who sits on the Joint Economic ...

President Obama Meets Muslim Leaders

from the White House press office. THE WHITE HOUSE Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 4, 2015 Readout of the President’s Meeting with American Muslim Leaders The President this afternoon met with American Muslim leaders to discuss a range of domestic and foreign policy issues. The President thanked the participants for their work in a variety of fields and for coming together to offer views on issues of importance to their communities, noting that his regular interactions with different faith communities provided him with valuable insights and feedback. Among the topics of discussion were the community’s efforts and partnerships with the Administration on a range of domestic issues such as the Affordable Care Act, issues of anti-Muslim violence and discrimination, the 21 st Century Policing Task Force, and the upcoming White House Summit on Countering Violence Extremism. The President reiterated his Administr...

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