White House Says Recovery Act Working
Two million jobs were saved or created due to the $787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, said an Obama administration report Wednesday.
The report said that the Recovery Act, which was heavily opposed by Republicans, was beneficial to the economy.
Last year, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 4 million American jobs were lost overall, and unemployment went over 10 percent.
By the end of this year, the White House wants to ultimately create or save 3.5 million jobs.
Approximately $90 billion was allocated to green jobs, and 52,000 green jobs were created or saved in 2009, stated the report.
$452 Million in Assistance Helps Rural Businesses
Assistance loans of $452 million to farmers and food production companies is scheduled for a multitude of agricultural organizations. The badly needed funds have been allocated by way of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that 130 rural groups will be assisted on Wednesday. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act opened the door for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development Business and Industry Guaranteed Loan Program to generate the funds.
“We can revitalize rural communities and spur economic opportunity by building infrastructure to strengthen local food systems and creating a stronger link between local food production and local consumption,” said Vilsack in a press release.
For more information visit www.usda.gov/recovery
Missouri Senator Says Publicize Debates
The nation’s health talks should have more transparency, says one Democratic senator.
Sen. Claire McCaskill from Missouri recently declared that House and Senate talks involving the health care bill should be open to public view, and further debates regarding the bill should be shown on C-SPAN.
“It’s my opinion that we should open up any further negotiations between the House and the Senate to C-SPAN so the public can watch. I believe that the best way for these negotiations to occur is through the conference committee process, and I have communicated my opinion to the leadership of my party in the Senate,” McCaskill said in a press release.
C-SPAN supports McCaskill’s idea, as station executive Brian Lamb even sent a letter to Congress asking debates to be open.
Charges Filed in Workplace Shooting
Jessie James Warren was charged with two counts of murder and five counts of aggravated assault on Wednesday after a Jan. 12 shooting at a Penske Truck Rental office in Kennesaw, Georgia.
The city is about 25 miles north of Atlanta. The 60-year-old Warren was arrested soon after the attack.
He is charged with two counts of murder after allegedly killing Van Springer of
Woodstock, Georgia, and Jaider Phillipe Marvlanda, 43, of Lawrenceville, Georgia.
Warren worked at Penske until July 2009, according to news reports. Three other shooting victims were in critical condition.
