Ambitious goals set in Roadmap to Recovery have accelerated implementation of Recovery Act and helped rebuild economy
Washington, DC – In remarks at the Brookings Institution in Washington, DC, Vice President Biden today announced that the Administration met or exceeded all ten of the ambitious commitments laid out in the Roadmap to Recovery for the second 100 days of the Recovery Act. The Vice President also highlighted specific areas of demonstrable progress over the last 100 days – ranging from highway construction projects started to contracts awarded to small businesses – and discussed how the Recovery Act is putting the economy on a path toward economic growth.
Vice President Biden first presented the Roadmap to Recovery, a plan for ten major projects that would help define the Recovery Act over its second 100 days and speed implementation, to President Obama at the beginning of the summer. The Roadmap set key targets for these projects to meet over the second 100 days. As of today, every target that the President and Vice President requested has been met or exceeded, including:
* Commitment: Enable 1,129 Health Centers in 50 States and 8 Territories to Provide Expanded Service to Approximately 300,000 Patients
— Result: The Department of Health and Human Services exceeded this goal, providing expanded service at 1,129 Health Centers in 50 states and 8 territories, and providing that expanded service to approximately 500,000 patients.
* Commitment: Begin Work on Rehabilitation and Improvement Projects at 98 Airports and Over 1,500 Highway Locations Throughout the Country
— Result: The Department of Transportation exceeded this goal, beginning rehabilitation and improvement projects at 192 airports and on over 2,200 highways.
* Commitment: Begin Work on 107 National Parks
— Result: The Department of the Interior exceeded this commitment with work underway at 138 national parks.
To view the Administration’s full progress with the Roadmap to Recovery, click HERE: http://www.whitehouse.gov/recovery/roadmap/.
Cabinet Members and other administration officials traveled across the country today highlighting the impact the Roadmap has had on local communities and the national economy. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar visited Little Rock, Arkansas to discuss how the Interior Department is putting people back to work while improving America’s national parks through the Recovery Act. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack spoke in Louisa, Virginia about the Department of Agriculture’s efforts to improve water quality for communities and families across the country through the Recovery Act. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood highlighted how delivering transportation projects ahead of schedule and under-budget is helping put more construction workers back on the job at a Chicago event. Education Secretary Arne Duncan held a town hall meeting in Sacramento, California on how Recovery Act funds have helped keep teachers and school employees on the job. Federal Highway Administrator Victor Mendez made remarks at the official groundbreaking of TH 610 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, one of the 2,200 Recovery Roadmap highway projects begun in the last 100 days.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act was signed into law by President Obama on February 17, 2009 as the country faced the greatest economic crisis in a generation. The Recovery Act is providing needed tax relief and financial assistance for hard-hit families and businesses, delivering aid to states facing record budget shortfalls and making hundreds of billions of dollars in investments in technology and infrastructure that create jobs and lay a new foundation for the U.S. economy. The 200th day of the Recovery Act is Saturday, September 5, 2009.
In June, we released details about our “Roadmap to Recovery,” an ambitious effort to step up the level of activity in implementing the Recovery Act over the following 100 days. Today, we’re pleased to report back to you on the achievements of the summer. The full document can be found at http://www.whitehouse.gov/recovery/.
Below please find the specific actions that occurred in Wisconsin:
* Commitment: Enable 1,129 Health Centers in 50 States and 8 Territories to Provide Expanded Service to Approximately 300,000 Patients
Result: In Wisconsin, 16 health centers are providing expanded services to Wisconsin residents.
* Commitment: Create 125,000 Summer Youth Jobs
Result: Almost $14 million was awarded to the state for summer employment programs.
* Commitment: Begin Work on Projects in 107 National Parks
Result: Work was begun on projects in two National Parks in Wisconsin.
* Commitment: Hire or Keep on the Job Approximately 5,000 Law Enforcement Officers
Result: In Wisconsin, over $12 million was awarded to 7 different law enforcement agencies, hiring or keeping on the street 58 law enforcement officers.
* Commitment: Begin Work on Rehabilitation and Improvement Projects at 98 Airports and over 1,500 Highway Locations Throughout the Country
Result: In Wisconsin, over $291 million was awarded to begin 97 highway projects and 4 airport projects throughout the state.
* Commitment: Start 200 New Waste and Water Systems in Rural America
Result: Almost $5 million was awarded to begin four new water system improvement projects in Wisconsin.
* Commitment: Initiate 2,300 Construction and Rehabilitation Projects at 359 Military Facilities Across the Nation
Result: Work was begun on 31 different DoD construction and rehabilitation projects at locations throughout the state.
* Commitment: Begin Improvements at 90 Veterans Medical Centers Across 38 States
Result: Work began on a project at the Janesville VA Medical Center.
