The American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act of 2009

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act) was signed into law by President Obama on February 17th, 2009. It 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 Act is an extraordinary response to a crisis unlike any since the Great Depression, and includes measures to modernize our nation's infrastructure, enhance energy independence, expand educational opportunities, preserve and improve affordable health care, provide tax relief, and protect those in greatest need.

Federal Web site: http://www.recovery.gov

State Web site: http://www.recovery.ca.gov

Read the Recovery Act

Accountability and Transparency

The President has made it clear that every taxpayer dollar spent on our economic recovery must be subject to unprecedented levels of transparency and accountability. He has identified five crucial objectives for Federal agencies, to ensure that:

  • Recovery funds are awarded and distributed in a prompt, fair, and reasonable manner;
  • The recipients and uses of all recovery funds are transparent to the public, and that the public benefits of these funds are reported clearly, accurately, and in a timely manner;
  • Recovery funds are used for authorized purposes and every step is taken to prevent instances of fraud, waste, error, and abuse;
  • Projects funded under the recovery legislation avoid unnecessary delays and cost overruns; and,
  • Programs meet specific goals and targets, and contribute to improved performance on broad economic indicators.

Recovery Act Programs