UNIVERSITY CENTER -- Vice President Joe Biden laid out a passionate defense of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 at Delta College, University Center Tuesday.
“One year later, I’m absolutely certain of one thing, the Recovery Act is working,” Biden said before an invitation-only crowd.
His visit to the Saginaw Valley marks an Obama Administration tour blitz to more than 35 communities across the country, highlighting accomplishments of the Recovery Act, also known as the stimulus.
He gave a local perspective as well. “At HSC (Hemlock Semiconductor) it means tax credits for clean energy expansion, almost $142 million dollars to increase operations, track private capital and have more workers to produce parts for solar panels,” he said.
Biden met with bank officials who provided Recovery Act-related loans to Morley Companies in Saginaw to expand by more than 600 jobs. Biden said the Recovery Act created or saved about 69,000 jobs in Michigan and nearly 2 million jobs nationwide.
Republicans continued to slam the stimulus plan. Congressman Dave Camp’s office said Michigan lost more than 132,000 jobs since the Recovery Act was signed into law.
Biden also visited Hemlock Semiconductor to observe solar panel creation there, and had lunch with business developers at Fuzzy’s Diner in Saginaw.
