The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act

These are challenging economic times for Hoosiers and working families across our country. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is designed to create or protect 3.5 million jobs and help to get our economy back on track. The bill combines tax relief for middle-class families and small businesses with smart investments in infrastructure, education, and energy efficiency.

Many economists have credited the Recovery Act with assisting our economic recovery:

Absent temporary fiscal stimulus and inventory rebuilding, which taken together added about 4 percentage points to U.S. growth, the economy would have contracted at about a 1 percent annual rate during the second half of 2009.” -- John Mankin, American Enterprise Institute, January 2010

“The stimulus package was reasonably well designed and put together and most importantly, it was done quickly enough to make a difference.” – Mark Zandi, Chief Economist and Co-founder of Moody’s Economy.com, January 2010

Below you will find information on this bill and how it can help you, your family, and your community. Please don’t hesitate to contact my office at (574) 288-2780 should you have any further questions.

TAX RELIEF FOR HOOSIER FAMILIES

More than 95% of working families will receive tax relief from The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Want to learn more about the tax relief included in this bill? Read my summary of Recovery Act tax relief here:

MAJOR INVESTMENTS IN NORTH CENTRAL INDIANA

INDIANA: As of June 2010, Indiana has the most miles improved by Recovery Act highway and bridge funding of any state in the country. Over 2,750 miles have been improved in Indiana because of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
SOUTH BEND: On July 28, 2009, the City of South Bend received a $2,453,295 grant to rehire 13 police officers as part of the COPS Hiring Recovery Program.
KOKOMO: On August 5, 2009, President Obama announced an $89.3 million grant for Delphi Electronics & Safety to open a new facility in Kokomo manufacturing electric drive power electronics components for passenger and commercial vehicles. The grant will help bring 190 new jobs to Kokomo by 2014.
WAKARUSA: Also on August 5, 2009, President Obama announced $39.2 million in funding to help Navistar, Inc. develop and deploy advanced battery electric delivery trucks at the company’s Wakarusa, Indiana facility. The company intends to make 400 electric delivery trucks and employ 40 new workers with this funding.
KOKOMO: On June 25, 2010, Congressman Donnelly announced that the City of Kokomo Fire Department received a $1.9 million grant through the Department of Homeland Security and the Recovery Act to rehire 13 firefighters.
TIPTON: On July 3, 2010, President Obama announced a $400 million loan guarantee for Abound Solar Manufacturing to help the company expand its operations into the former Getrag facility on the corner of U.S. 31 and Ind. 28 in Tipton County. Abound Solar will manufacture solar panels and expects to hire 850 workers by 2013.

WHERE ARE PROJECTS HAPPENING IN MY AREA?

To review American Recovery and Reinvestment Act projects in Indiana's 2nd Congressional District, click here. To look at a list of all projects funded by the Recovery Act, visit www.recovery.gov.

HOW CAN I TRACK THE MONEY THAT IS BEING SPENT?

Fiscal responsibility, transparency, and accountability are critical to the success of this legislation. For this reason, the recovery bill requires that every dollar spent be posted publicly on www.recovery.gov. Recovery.gov provides up-to-date information on how funds are being allocated, as well as the the tools necessary for you to hold our government accountable.

HOW CAN I GET RECOVERY FUNDS FOR MY COMMUNITY?

Visit www.recovery.gov to learn more about grant opportunities.

Contact my South Bend office at 574-288-2780 to let us know when you apply for a grant. We will do everything we can to help you through the process.