Breakdown of areas with high unemployment receiving little or no stimulus money

October 8th, 2009 Senate Democrats agree to extend jobless benefitsWASHINGTON — Senate Democrats said Thursday they have reached a deal to extend unemployment insurance benefits to the nearly 2 million jobless workers across the country who are in danger of running out of assistance by the end of the year. The agreement would give an additional 14 weeks of benefits to jobless workers in all 50 states.

October 8th, 2009 Senate Democrats reach deal on extending benefitsWASHINGTON — Senate Democrats said Thursday they have reached a deal to extend unemployment insurance benefits to the nearly 2 million jobless workers across the country who are in danger of running out of assistance by the end of the year. The agreement would give an additional 14 weeks of benefits to jobless workers in all 50 states.

September 30th, 2009 Summary Box: Unemployment dips in most metro areasTHE GOOD NEWS: The unemployment rates fell in about 60 percent of the nation's 380 metro areas in August, according to a Labor Department report. While joblessness is still high, that's a big improvement from June, when unemployment rose in 90 percent of metro areas.

July 22nd, 2009 Budget boss defends stimulus, sees joblessness upNEW YORK — The Obama administration's budget director defended its $787 billion stimulus package, saying the heavy spending was necessary to rescue the economy and that the plan is "on schedule" to produce the intended results. In prepared remarks to the Council of Foreign Relations in New York, Peter Orszag said it was "misleading" to judge the effectiveness of the stimulus package based on the rise in unemployment — which hit a 26-year high of 9.5 percent in June — and which he expects will stay high for the "next few quarters." "Only a very small part of the total job creation expected from the Recovery Act would take place by the end of the second quarter," Orszag said.

July 19th, 2009 STIMULUS WATCH: Neediest areas not first for moneySABINAL, Texas — Under the Obama administration's economic stimulus plan, needy communities were supposed to be first in line for money to rebuild highways and jump start the economy. It hasn't worked out that way.

July 10th, 2009 FACT CHECK: GOP joins murky math on stimulus jobsWASHINGTON — House Republicans on Friday declared the nation's economic stimulus efforts a "dismal failure." But the convoluted math they used to disparage the recovery is as murky and meaningless as the White House formula championing the stimulus. Led by the senior Republican on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Rep.

July 8th, 2009 Audit: States using stimulus just to stay afloatWASHINGTON — Projects in some of the nation's poorest areas don't appear to be getting a fair shake in the spending of $787 billion in stimulus funds, the chairman of the House oversight committee said Wednesday. Rep. Edolphus Towns, D-N.Y., chairman of the panel, said he was particularly concerned that transportation projects in economically distressed areas were being left out — even though they are supposed to be a priority.

June 25th, 2009 Biden: $19B in highway stimulus already set asideWASHINGTON — Federal money to spur economic recovery is being shoveled out of Washington at a fast clip, the White House said Thursday, but states aren't steering the cash to counties that need jobs the most. All 50 states easily beat a June 29 deadline to have half of their stimulus projects for roads and bridges approved.

June 12th, 2009 $50M in stimulus will help fish farmers buy feedOSAGE BEACH, Mo. — The United States is about to spend $50 million in stimulus money on fish food to help fish farmers who have been struggling since feed prices jumped 50 percent last year.

June 8th, 2009 Obama's Day: President, Cabinet meet on stimulusWASHINGTON — President Barack Obama, back in Washington from Europe and the Middle East, is turning his focus to domestic policy. He'll be meeting Monday with his Cabinet on implementing the economic Recovery Act.

June 8th, 2009 Obama promises more than 600,000 stimulus jobsWASHINGTON — President Barack Obama says the United States remains in a deep recession that will take considerable time to escape. Obama met at the White House with his top administration officials on Monday to hear an update on his $787 billion spending plan.

May 11th, 2009 US defends stimulus despite inequity for neediestWASHINGTON — The Obama administration is defending its transportation stimulus plan, saying it is solid even though the neediest communities are least likely to benefit. An Associated Press analysis of more than 5,500 transportation projects revealed that the jobs are being steered toward counties with lower unemployment.

May 11th, 2009 STIMULUS WATCH: Early road aid leaves out neediestWASHINGTON — Counties suffering the most from job losses stand to receive the least help from President Barack Obama's plan to spend billions of stimulus dollars on roads and bridges, an Associated Press analysis has found. Although the intent of the money is to put people back to work, AP's review of more than 5,500 planned transportation projects nationwide reveals that states are planning to spend the stimulus in communities where jobless rates are already lower.

April 22nd, 2009 Graduation rate breakdown by cityA breakdown of the 2005 graduation rates in the 50 largest cities, along with the percentage point changes in this rate between 1995 and 2005. Source: Editorial Projects in Education Research Center based on Education Department data

February 6th, 2009 WASHINGTON - The US Senate has accepted a modified amendment to the massive stimulus bill requiring companies accepting government bailout funds to hire H-1B visa holders under strict hiring standards so that qualified American workers are not replaced. The original amendment to the over $800 billion stimulus bill sought outright prohibition on businesses receiving government funds from hiring holders of H-1B visa, a bulk of which are cornered by Indians.