President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden will announce in Tampa tomorrow a monumental jobs initiative relating to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and $8 billion in high-speed rail grants, Congresswoman Kathy Castor confirmed today.

Castor has made the case for Florida families and businesses over the past year to the White House to create jobs and boost the economy. She will travel with President Obama from Washington to Tampa tomorrow for the town hall event.

"President Obama wants to increase the pace of recovery," Castor said. "Creation of thousands of jobs for Floridians will accelerate better times in Florida. Construction workers will be needed to build rail lines. Engineers will be needed to lay the groundwork. Operations and maintenance workers will be needed to keep the line running smoothly. The ripple effects cannot be understated.

"Our neighbors and Florida businesses who are hired for these jobs will invest in our hometowns. They will spend money at our local small businesses. They will buy homes. They will help our economy recover."

Through the past year, Castor has been an outspoken advocate on behalf of Florida’s high-speed rail application and the thousands of jobs tied to it.

Castor also has pressed White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel and Senior Adviser David Axelrod since last spring about the need for a jobs boost in Florida. Castor talked with Axelrod last week and again this week regarding the economic benefits a high-speed rail award would have in the state.

In June, in a bipartisan show of support, Castor spearheaded a letter from the Florida Congressional Delegation to Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, urging an award to Florida. In January, Castor wrote to President Obama and Vice President Biden, detailing Florida’s economic situation and encouraging a high-speed rail award to the state as a way to create jobs.