The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act

The On Friday, Feburary 13, 2009, the House of Representatives and Senate approved the conference report for the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.  On February 17, 2009, H.R. 1 was signed into law by President Obama.

You may read the final text of the legislation (PDF, 13.4MB), as the President signed it.  American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is an unprecedented effort to jumpstart our economy, create or save millions of jobs, and put a down payment on addressing long-neglected challenges so our country can thrive in the 21st century.

The Recovery and Reinvestment Act is an extraordinary response to a crisis unlike any since the Great Depression.  With much at stake, the Act provides for unprecedented levels of transparency and accountability so that you will be able to know how, when, and where your tax dollars are being spent. Spearheaded by a new Recovery Board, this Act contains built-in measures to root out waste, inefficiency, and unnecessary spending.

Details may be found at the Web site: http://www.recovery.gov/ .  The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will be carried out with full transparency and accountability -- and Recovery.gov is the centerpiece of that effort.   This website, Recovery.gov, will be the main vehicle to provide each and every citizen with the ability to monitor the progress of the recovery.

As a result, Connecticut is positioned to receive nearly $3 billion for initiatives and efforts to strengthen the state’s economy, create dependable jobs and invest in efforts that will help the state grow and prosper.  Our specific Connecticut link to Recovery Information for our State is on the Governor's web site is http://ct.gov/recovery/site/default.asp .

And Senator Chris Dodd has offered the 40 page "Cliff Notes" version of the bill (PDF, 732kb).  The text may be downloaded here. 

The Meriden Chamber Employer Outreach Initiative

The Greater Meriden Chamber of Commerce has received a grant through the Workforce Alliance, Inc. called the "Meriden Chamber Employer Outreach Initiative".  This pilot program runs from June 1, 2009 through December 30, 2009 and is designed to engage the businesses in our 30 town region to take the pulse of what is happening in the recession and what is needed in the recovery.   Information we collect may be used to drive workforce services which may start as early as the first or second quarter of 2010.  If your business is interested in learning more about this ARRA initiative, please call Chamber President Sean W. Moore or feel free to download the details here.   

We at the Greater Meriden Chamber of Commerce will be looking for each and every opportunity for our community and our members to participate in the recovery...you will want to check back to this web page often for details!