"President Obama’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will create jobs in the Tampa Bay area, aid families hit hard by the recession and set our community on a path for new and innovative economic growth.” U.S Representative Kathy Castor

In the midst of the most serious economic downturn since the Great Depression, Congresswoman Kathy Castor voted to pass the $825 billion American Economic Recovery and Reinvestment Act one week after President Barack Obama’s Inaugural Address to the nation and call for urgent action. The Recovery Plan creates and preserves much-needed jobs through infrastructure improvements, new energy technology, and health care and education initiatives.

“Our bold and historic action will improve our economy,” Castor said. “Doing nothing would be disastrous and lead to double-digit unemployment in Florida. Our communities and neighbors need robust action now to protect their jobs, their savings and our kids’ future.

“President Obama inherited a mess. Improving the economy is our No. 1 priority,” Castor said. “The recovery plan contains billions of dollars for Florida construction, health care and education…. in other words ‘jobs, jobs, jobs.’ My neighbors sorely need help right now.”

Unemployment in Florida has topped 8 percent. Florida also has the second-highest foreclosure rate in the country. One in 10 Floridians is on food stamps. Those factors led to increased help for Florida families, particularly health care resources.  Castor’s House Energy & Commerce Committee debated, amended and passed the health care and energy provisions of the Act last week.

The Recovery plan contains no earmarks. Overall, the Recovery plan is expected to create or save 3 million to 4 million jobs. It has strict accountability measures and will have a quick and immediate impact.

Castor predicts that significant federal funds will flow to the public schools and students, the City of Tampa, Hillsborough County, Tampa International Airport, Tampa Port Authority, transit agencies, Moffitt Cancer Center, and the University of South Florida and create thousands of private sector jobs.

Here is a breakdown of funding directed toward Florida:

* Health Care. Florida will receive a $4.3 billion increase in direct health care money under Medicaid and increase the state’s ability to provide medical care to children, families and seniors in nursing care. Castor has advocated for this increase in health care resources for well over a year. Economists acknowledge that health care is one of the best ways to swiftly stimulate the economy, particularly due to the ripple effect of the health care dollar.

* Infrastructure. Florida will receive $2 billion for infrastructure improvements, including $1.5 billion for highways and bridges and $285 million for transit. This much-needed investment will put people to work while improving our highways, bridges, transit systems, schools and water resource infrastructure. Construction of I-275, and the I-4 Connector could be put back on track.  

* COBRA. Newly unemployed workers will receive a 65 percent subsidy for COBRA continuation premiums. Currently, Florida’s unemployment benefits don’t even cover the cost of COBRA. This measure will help unemployed Floridians and maintain jobs in the health care sector. The unemployment rate in Florida has hit 8 percent.

* Food stamps. Florida will receive an $879 million increase in food stamp benefits through fiscal year 2013. Economists say food stamps are one of the most effective ways of stimulating the economy by putting money in the hands of people who will spend it right away. One in 10 Floridians is on food stamps.

* Supplemental Security Income. Florida will receive an additional $246 million in fiscal year 2009. SSI is a federal income supplement payment that provides a boost to poor, elderly individuals and to people with disabilities. Qualified individuals will receive about $450; married couples $630.

* Education. Florida will receive $654 million for Title I schools (schools with large numbers of students from struggling families); $729 million for the Individuals with Disabilities Act; and nearly $1 billion for education modernization, renovation and repair over the next two years. The bill also includes $1.4 billion for Pell Grants which will benefit students at the University of South Florida, Hillsborough Community College and other institutions.

            - Hillsborough County school district will receive a $142.6 million increase

            - Pinellas County school district will receive an $86.2 million increase

            - Manatee County school district will receive a $26 million increase

* Energy and Innovation. Research and high-paying jobs at the University of South Florida will begin to remake the Tampa Bay area economy through President Obama’s innovative initiatives for renewable energy, laboratories, and scientific and biomedical research. For example, Castor will champion the University of South Florida’s leadership of a local modernization of electronic health records which will improve and expedite medical care. “USF is a key economic driver that can tap energy research dollars provided by the Recovery and Reinvestment Act,” Castor said.

*Veterans. The busiest Veterans medical center in the nation, the Haley VA and Medical Center in Tampa likely will benefit from that portion of the Recovery plan that devotes up to $1 billion to construction, repair and energy efficiency initiatives for veterans medical facilities.