Economic Stimulus Plan may Include

President-elect Barack Obama and congressional leadership have begun to develop the framework for an economic stimulus package. OIA has submitted, along with a diverse coalition of recreation partners, our recommendations on how to put Americans to work, revitalize the economy and invest in recreational infrastructure.

Congressional leaders hope the package will be ready to sign by the new president right after the inauguration. However with the ballooning cost of the package it may be difficult to pass it through both the House and the Senate as quickly as some have predicted.

The rumors around Washington now put the bill in the $850 billion range, which is larger than the recent financial bailout. Most of the money is earmarked for struggling state governments, transportation infrastructure projects which translate into jobs and federal investment in new energy alternatives. With that much money on the table, nearly every group in Washington has been sending their wish list up to Capitol Hill and the president’s transition team.

OIA sent our request directly to Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Reid outlining the specific details which includes $125 million for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) State Assistance program and $100 million for the Urban Park and Recreation Recovery (UPARR) program. These programs will invest in local communities and give them the necessary resources to preserve, maintain and rehabilitate local recreation infrastructure.