I am preparing for my trip to Austin, TX next week for the Democratic National Committee meeting.    

I am taking calls and reading emails and letters from DNC members poised to run for the party's Executive Committee, or for a position on a regional or constituent caucus (Read Home On the Range: Blue Pastures in Texas).   There should be a great deal to share from the trip to Austin next week.  I will do my best to update my blog "real-time" and I will take advantage of my Twitter access to post notes @AnthonyEricGrav.

Today, I am trying to wrap-up some deliverables in an effort to spend some time with my family and friends over the weekend - before dashing off to Austin next week.  My wife and I are planning to drive down to the state fair with our in-laws for some R&R.  It will be a nice break from my steady stream of activity.  I really enjoy the things I am involved in, but I also value family time and think it is important to "unplug" periodically.  I hope you will all take some time to do the same this weekend. 

Before the Labor Day weekend, I wanted to post a press release that I haven't seen communicated prominently in the local media.  The White House and the Democratic Party regularly communicate press releases to DNC members as they send communiques to the media outlets.  If something hasn't received notable "air-play", I post the press release to my blog.  Here is one from Vice President Biden's Office about exceeding commitments on the "Recovery Roadmap."

Best wishes to members of our labor community who play an important role in our society - protecting worker's rights and providing invaluable services across the country.  Have a wonderful Labor Day weekend. 

________________________________________________________________________________________

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Vice President

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                            

 September 3, 2009

Vice President Biden Announces Meeting or Exceeding of All Ten Recovery Roadmap 200^th Day Commitments

Ambitious goals set in Roadmap to Recovery have accelerated implementation of Recovery Act and helped rebuild economy

Washington, DC – In remarks at the Brookings Institution in Washington, DC, Vice President Biden today announced that the Administration met or exceeded all ten of the ambitious commitments laid out in the Roadmap to Recovery for the second 100 days of the Recovery Act.  The Vice President also highlighted specific areas of demonstrable progress over the last 100 days - ranging from highway construction projects started to contracts awarded to small businesses - and discussed how the Recovery Act is putting the economy on a path toward economic growth. 

Vice President Biden first presented the Roadmap to Recovery, a plan for ten major projects that would help define the Recovery Act over its second 100 days and speed implementation, to President Obama at the beginning of the summer.  The Roadmap set key targets for these projects to meet over the second 100 days.  As of today, every target that the President and Vice President requested has been met or exceeded, including:

·         Commitment: Enable 1,129 Health Centers in 50 States and 8 Territories to Provide Expanded Service to Approximately 300,000 Patients

o   Result: The Department of Health and Human Services exceeded this goal, providing expanded service at 1,129 Health Centers in 50 states and 8 territories, and providing that expanded service to approximately 500,000 patients.

·         Commitment: Begin Work on Rehabilitation and Improvement Projects at 98 Airports and Over 1,500 Highway Locations Throughout the Country

o   Result: The Department of Transportation exceeded this goal, beginning rehabilitation and improvement projects at 192 airports and on over 2,200 highways.

·         Commitment: Begin Work on 107 National Parks

o   Result: The Department of the Interior exceeded this commitment with work underway at 138 national parks.

To view the Administration’s full progress with the Roadmap to Recovery, click HERE.

Cabinet Members and other administration officials traveled across the country today highlighting the impact the Roadmap has had on local communities and the national economy.  Interior Secretary Ken Salazar visited Little Rock, Arkansas to discuss how the Interior Department is putting people back to work while improving America’s national parks through the Recovery Act.  Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack spoke in Louisa, Virginia about the Department of Agriculture’s efforts to improve water quality for communities and families across the country through the Recovery Act.  Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood highlighted how delivering transportation projects ahead of schedule and under-budget is helping put more construction workers back on the job at a Chicago event.  Education Secretary Arne Duncan held a town hall meeting in Sacramento, California on how Recovery Act funds have helped keep teachers and school employees on the job.  Federal Highway Administrator Victor Mendez made remarks at the official groundbreaking of TH 610 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, one of the 2,200 Recovery Roadmap highway projects begun in the last 100 days.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act was signed into law by President Obama on February 17, 2009 as the country faced the greatest economic crisis in a generation.  The Recovery Act is providing needed tax relief and financial assistance for hard-hit families and businesses, delivering aid to states facing record budget shortfalls and making hundreds of billions of dollars in investments in technology and infrastructure that create jobs and lay a new foundation for the U.S. economy.  The 200^th day of the Recovery Act is Saturday, September 5, 2009.