Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (D-MD) held a press conference on Friday, Jan. 30 at the construction site of the new Calvert Middle School in Prince Frederick, to discuss the local impact of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act on the Maryland Tri-County area.

The campus is the site of two construction projects –a new Calvert Middle School and a modernization for Calvert High School - that have been identified as potential projects to benefit from funding in the economic recovery legislation. The bill, which combines government investment and tax relief for families to create jobs and spur economic growth, passed the U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday, Jan. 28 and will be voted on in the Senate next week.  

“Marylanders have felt the impact of this economic downturn in lost jobs, lost wealth, the creation of a deep hole in the State's budget, and an unemployment rate that has climbed to 5.8 percent - the highest level in 15 years,” stated Rep. Hoyer. “The reality of the current recession has also meant that priorities, such as these school construction projects, are in jeopardy. These projects are examples of the type of investment that stands to benefit from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act passed this week by the House.” 

Under the House-passed American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, Calvert County would stand to receive $5,661,000 over two years; Charles County, $10,523,500; and St. Mary’s County, $8,085,900. 

“Overall, the economic recovery legislation is aimed at creating and saving three to four million jobs and helping to get the economy moving again by rebuilding America, making us more globally competitive and energy independent, and transforming our economy for long-term growth,” said Hoyer. 

Included in the legislative package is tax relief for 95 percent of working families; tax cuts for job-creating small businesses; projects to put Americans to work renewing our crumbling roads and bridges; and nutrition, unemployment, and healthcare assistance to those families who are being hit hardest by this recession. And to ensure that the nation does not slip back into recession, it makes investments that promise growth and savings in the years to come, including new energy technologies, upgrades for 21st-century classrooms, and the computerization of health records to reduce costs and improve care. 

The bill also includes aid for communities reeling from mounting foreclosures, funds for local law enforcement and investments in renewable energy development and energy-efficient technologies. 

Finally, the recovery plan has unprecedented accountability measures -providing strong oversight, an historic degree of public transparency, and including no earmarks. All of the plan's details will be published online at www.recovery.gov, so Members of Congress and the public can track the success of these efforts.

“We've included unprecedented levels of accountability and transparency, so our constituents will know that their tax dollars are being spent on getting us out of a recession, not siphoned off by the politically-connected,” stated Hoyer. “We know it will take time to turn this economy around, but we are confident that this package will make our economy stronger than it would be without any action.”

Background on Calvert School Construction Projects: The new Calvert Middle School construction, already underway, is a $23.4 million project on the campus of the current Calvert High School to completely replace the old dilapidated school located on MD Route 4 and expand student capacity. After the State’s initial FY 2009 contribution of $7.6 million and local contribution of $8.2 million, the Interagency Committee on School Construction recommended another $5.1 million to the Board of Public Works, which was approved Wednesday. The Calvert County Public Schools has also requested $3.7 million for the first phase of a $57.7 million project to replace and expand capacity at Calvert High School.