North Dakota

To: Interested Parties
Fr: White House Communications
Da: April 22, 2009
Re: The Obama-Biden economic plan: creating jobs, strengthening the economy for North Dakota families

 

Facing the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, President Obama started his Presidency with decisive action -- proposing and quickly passing the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). Since the bill went into effect, the ARRA has already helped put money back in the pockets of 95 percent of working Americans, created and saved jobs across the country and made key investments in our community to help kickstart the economy. To ensure that the funds are spent efficiently and effectively, President Obama tasked Vice President Biden with overseeing the implementation of ARRA, and projects have already begun to come in under budget across the country. As the President prepares to introduce the details of his budget and further plans to revitalize the economy, here’s a look at how his policies have impacted North Dakota in the first three months of his administration.

IMPACT OF PRESIDENT OBAMA’S ECONOMIC POLICIES ON NORTH DAKOTA

Working Families:

  • Making Work Pay: The President’s tax-cut – which covers more Americans than any in history – is putting more than $100 million back in the pockets of more than 300,000 hard-working North Dakota families.
  • $3,643,862 to support child care for working families.

Energy:

  • $12,810,300 in block grants to foster energy efficiency in building, transportation, and a wide range of other improvements.
  • $25,266,330 to support the weatherization of homes, including adding more insulation, sealing leaks and modernizing heating and air conditioning equipment.
  • $24,585,000 to the State Energy Program, available for rebates to consumers for energy saving improvements; development of renewable energy projects; promotion of Energy Star products; efficiency upgrades for state and local government buildings; and other innovative state efforts to help save families money on their energy bills.

Education:

  • 176,610,068 dollars potentially available to North Dakota to lay the foundation for a generation of education reform and help save thousands of teaching jobs at risk due to state and local budget cuts.

Health Care:

  • $674,036 to expand services at 4 existing Community Health Centers, which will expand service to an additional 2,419 patients and create or save a projected12 jobs.
  • $485,000 to provide meals to low-income seniors.
  • $18,837,293 made available in Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) to protect health care for the families hit hard by the economic crisis and some of the nation’s most vulnerable citizens.
  • $531,109 in vaccines and grants to ensure more underserved Americans receive the vaccines they need.

Transportation:

  • $170,126,497 in highway funds to help build and repair roads and bridges.
  • $10,997,090 to repair and build public transportation infrastructure.
  • $6,800,421 to address airport safety and security, infrastructure, runway safety, increased capacity, and mitigation of environmental impacts.

Law Enforcement:

  • More than $4.9 million for state and local law enforcement assistance available through the Edward Byrne Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program. The JAG Program supports a variety of efforts such as hiring and support for law enforcement officers; multijurisdictional drug and gang task forces; crime prevention and domestic violence programs; and courts, corrections, treatment, and justice information sharing initiatives.

REAL RESULTS IN NORTH DAKOTA

Thanks to the Obama Administration’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, real impact is already being felt across the state.

Stimulus Will Pay for Crews to Be Hired To Weatherize Homes for Low Income North Dakotans, Providing Jobs While Conserving Energy. "According to Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-ND), ‘North Dakota will receive a substantial amount of funding for our highway program. We are going to get $170 million to fix and repair roads and bridges, and that will be available almost immediately. That's going to be helpful. We have more miles of roads per capita then any state in the union.’ … ‘North Dakota is a big state with a small population. That money is going to put people back to work. Contractors will hire workers. Getting people back to work, that's one big issue,’ he said… Money will be allocated for weatherization assistance. There will be $25 million that will allow crews to come in and weatherize homes for people living in low-income housing. ‘That work is going to be done by crews, and those are jobs created that will begin almost immediately. There will be many, many other things,’ Dorgan said." [The Dakota Student, via College Publisher, 3/3/09]

 

Experience Works, A Job Placement Organization For Seniors, Receiving Recovery Act Funding And Will Help 130 People In North Dakota Find Work. "Sharon Waterman is learning new skills at her job at Progress Community Center. Waterman is the activity coordinator at Progress, a job she got through the Experience Works organization. Without Experience Works Waterman said she would still be looking for work, but would not be receiving the skills training she’s getting. ‘I think it’s a wonderful opportunity for anyone to get back into the work force,’ Waterman said. Now, through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 — known by most as the stimulus package — more people will have that opportunity. The largest senior community service employment program in the country, Experience Works helps those 55 and older find jobs. Nationally it is receiving $18 million for subsidized community service jobs for older Americans, said Connie Moench, business and community liaison, Experience Works. Experience Works in North Dakota is receiving $700,000 of those funds, enough to help 130 people find work for one year, Moench said." [Jamestown Sun (Jamestown, ND), 4/7/09]