Coalition For Accountable Recovery Concerned Over Stimulus Data

By Marianna Levyash-Talk Radio News Service

With the first quarterly round of spending data from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) looming to be released tomorrow, there are concerns that the data will be incomplete.

The Coalition for Accountable Recovery (CAR), a collection of several groups seeking to promote transparency and accountability over the use of recovery act funds, fear that the data will provide debatable numbers regarding jobs that have been created through ARRA not reflect spending by the ultimate recipients.

"We know this is a first time effort, and in any first time effort, and in any first time effort you’re going to have data quality concerns, said Executive Director of OMB Watch, Gary D. Bass.

Despite the concerns, CAR added that certain aspects of ARRA, such as the act's website which allows users to track funds, have made strides in transparency and accountability.

"When it comes to contracts, grants, and loans, the Recovery Act is the most transparent federal spending bill ever enacted," said Bass.

Education Secretary: $100 Billion For Education Might Not Be Enough

Travis Martinez, University of New Mexico- Talk Radio News Service

Education Secretary Arne Duncan touched upon the $100 billion that has been provided through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act for education Monday at the Conressional Hispanic Caucus Institute's 2009 Public Policy Conference, stating “While the money might not be enough, and money alone is not the answer, it doesn’t hurt to have $100 billion dollars."

The Secretary added that there are many urgent challenges facing education reform, but that he is optimistic over the future of the U.S. school system.

“We have a tall and ambitious agenda”, said Duncan. “We need to dramatically increase access [to education] and make sure it’s quality access... not just glorified babysitting."

Secretary Duncan proposed the U.S. invest in early childhood education, adding “It’s the best investment you can make."

Duncan also suggested the U.S. recognize talent in the education field by rewarding and shining a spotlight on great teachers, mentors and also principals. The Secretary also outlined his goal to cut drop out rates in underserved communities.

Economic Adviser Defends Stimulus Plan

By Courtney Ann Jackson-Talk Radio News Service

The economy is far from healthy according to Christina Romer Council of Economic Advisers Chair, but the adviser is still optimistic over the effectiveness of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

“We are urging serious medicine for serious economic problems. If we can accomplish these important changes we will not only come through the current crisis, we will emerge even stronger and healthier than before.” said Romer Thursday at an Economic Club of Washington event.

The Recovery Act provided $787 billion of tax cuts and government spending. Romer said that makes it “the boldest counter cyclical fiscal stimulus in American history.” She noted that the economy was deteriorating rapidly when President Obama announced his economic team just before Thanksgiving.

While the plan has garnered a substantial amount of controversy, Romer pointed to the use of fiscal stimulus to help weak economies by past presidents including Dwight Eisenhower, Gerald Ford, and George W. Bush.

“In the past few months, some have tried to portray fiscal stimulus as an exotic tool with a questionable pedigree,” said Romer. “To use a medical analogy, fiscal stimulus is a well-tested antibiotic, not some new-fangled gene therapy.”

She said the effects of the Recovery will increase over time and they expect the fiscal stimulus to be “roughly $100 billion in each of the next five quarters.” Initially the stimulus was focused more heavily toward tax changes and state fiscal relief, but there will be more direct government investments as it continues.

“The President aimed for a package that was large and got good employment bang for the fiscal buck,” said Romer.

Transportation Industry Benefitting From Stimulus

By Sam Wechsler - Talk Radio News Service

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 has been successful in providing and saving jobs in the transportation sector, Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) said Wednesday. He also pointed out that we are only four months into a two year recovery plan, so most results aren't yet perceptible.

Durbin says the government has provided checks for $60.4 billion and has allocated $234 billion of the total $787 billion stimulus package. Ed Wytkind, president of the Transportation Trades Department of the AFL-CIO, said that an historic $48 billion of the stimulus will be spent on transportation.

“I wish the recession would end tomorrow but we have to be patient...for those who say ‘accelerate payments,’ I have the same basic feeling myself. But I just know from human and government experience that haste does make waste. Let’s make sure these funds are well invested and well spent,” said Durbin.

Wytkind discussed the multiplier effect that occurs when the transportation industry spends money that simultaneously benefits other sectors of the economy, such as the steel and lumber industries.

Wytkind criticized former President George W. Bush’s administration for neglecting to use the transportation industry as a mode for job creation. “The fact is that Americans are hurting, our members are hurting, because of eight years of do-nothing economic policies. [President Obama and the new Congress] are wedded to turning around an economy that is reeling,” said Wytkind.

Kyl: American People Won’t Stand For Health Care Rationing

By Annie Berman -- Talk Radio News Service

U.S. Senate Republican Whip Jon Kyl (Ariz.) has introduced the “The Preserving Access to Targeted, Individualized, and Effective New Treatments and Services (PATIENTS) Act of 2009. The bill prohibits the federal government from using “comparative effectiveness research,” to determine the care of a patient based on cost rather than on effectiveness.

“Government should not be funding research which it is then going to use in one way or another to ration health care for Americans to decide what diagnostics, treatments, or prescriptions, or care can be allowed under any kind of federal program,” Kyl said.

The Senator explained that the problem with using “comparative effectiveness research” (CER) is that not all treatments are appropriate for all patients; even if a particular treatment is more cost effective, it may not be effective in treating a patient’s particular ailment.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, also known as the “Stimulus Bill,” allocated $1.1 billion for comparative effectiveness research. However, the stimulus bill did not include any securities to prevent that money from being used to ration health care. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has announced that it would use the stimulus money for this specific purpose.

“Quality Adjusted Life Year (QALY). That’s how they evaluate your life...They say that your life is worth a certain amount. And if the cost of a particular treatment exceeds that amount, sorry. You don’t get it. And that varies with your age,” said Kyl.

“I don’t want America to begin rationing care to our citizens in the same way other countries do. The first step on that slippery slope is the CER...We need to stop that research from being used by the federal government for treatment or care.”