June 23: Vice President Biden Promotes Solar Energy, Middle Class Jobs in Visit to Northwest Ohio
June 25, 2009
Rep. Marcy Kaptur welcomed Vice President Joe Biden to Northwest Ohioand during a private meeting asked the Obama Administration to releasefunds under the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program.Congresswoman Kaptur said local communities in the Ninth CongressionalDistrict, including Toledo, have been forced to lay off safety forcesdue to tight budget conditions. She said the COPS program grants couldhelp alleviate the stress on law enforcement agencies heading into thesummer months.
“I urged Vice President Biden to accelerate the release of funds to ourcommunities,” Kaptur said. “Public safety is their primaryresponsibility and we want the federal government to be as helpful aspossible. That means getting the COPS funding out the door as quicklyas possible.”
Vice President Biden, chairman of the Middle Class Task Force, wasjoined by Ohio Governor Ted Strickland, Commerce Secretary Gary Locke,U.S. Director for Recovery for Auto Communities and Workers EdMontgomery, and Council of Economic Advisors member Michael Greenstoneat Willard & Kelsey Solar Group, which manufactures solar panels inPerrysburg, Ohio.
Biden announced an executive order creating a White House Council onAutomotive Workers and Communities that will be headed Labor SecretaryHilda Solis and National Economic Council Director Larry Summers. Theinter-agency council will focus on issues facing the automotiveindustry and protection of the hardest-hit communities and workers.“The council builds on the foundation we have laid over the past monthsto speed up and increase recovery to the region and ensure workers seea coordinated response from their government,” Mr. Montgomery said.
Also at the meeting, Secretary Locke announced an expansion of theNational Innovation Marketplace, which is part of the ManufacturingExtension Partnership, to help manufacturers revitalize their supplychains. “We will bring together in one place the ideas, products andfuture opportunities that businesses need to identify new markets,diversify and create new jobs,” he said. “We will bring these servicesto you in a one-stop shop so you don’t have to go to four or fiveagencies to get the help you need.”
“We will measure our success, President Obama and I, not just by howwell the economy does, but how well the middle class does,” Biden said.“There are far too many valueable resources, too much valuable capital,and especially too much human skill and know-how embedded in America’smanufacturing sector to allow it to go to waste. “The President and Iare committed to doing everything we can to prepare the manufacturingsector for the future and to protect families and communities hurt byrecent job losses.”
“We know that Lake Erie is the Saudi Arabia of wind power,”Congresswoman Kaptur said afterwards. “We have a strong partnershipbetween the federal government, the University of Toledo and the stateof Ohio to develop our green economy. We have the best workers in theworld. Now we have to go about diversifying our economy.”
“With the right policies, Ohio can be at the forefront for producingparts for wind and solar equipment,” said Amy Hanauer, director ofPolicy Matters Ohio, who participated in a roundtable discussion.
“I urged Vice President Biden to accelerate the release of funds to ourcommunities,” Kaptur said. “Public safety is their primaryresponsibility and we want the federal government to be as helpful aspossible. That means getting the COPS funding out the door as quicklyas possible.”
Vice President Biden, chairman of the Middle Class Task Force, wasjoined by Ohio Governor Ted Strickland, Commerce Secretary Gary Locke,U.S. Director for Recovery for Auto Communities and Workers EdMontgomery, and Council of Economic Advisors member Michael Greenstoneat Willard & Kelsey Solar Group, which manufactures solar panels inPerrysburg, Ohio.
Biden announced an executive order creating a White House Council onAutomotive Workers and Communities that will be headed Labor SecretaryHilda Solis and National Economic Council Director Larry Summers. Theinter-agency council will focus on issues facing the automotiveindustry and protection of the hardest-hit communities and workers.“The council builds on the foundation we have laid over the past monthsto speed up and increase recovery to the region and ensure workers seea coordinated response from their government,” Mr. Montgomery said.
Also at the meeting, Secretary Locke announced an expansion of theNational Innovation Marketplace, which is part of the ManufacturingExtension Partnership, to help manufacturers revitalize their supplychains. “We will bring together in one place the ideas, products andfuture opportunities that businesses need to identify new markets,diversify and create new jobs,” he said. “We will bring these servicesto you in a one-stop shop so you don’t have to go to four or fiveagencies to get the help you need.”
“We will measure our success, President Obama and I, not just by howwell the economy does, but how well the middle class does,” Biden said.“There are far too many valueable resources, too much valuable capital,and especially too much human skill and know-how embedded in America’smanufacturing sector to allow it to go to waste. “The President and Iare committed to doing everything we can to prepare the manufacturingsector for the future and to protect families and communities hurt byrecent job losses.”
“We know that Lake Erie is the Saudi Arabia of wind power,”Congresswoman Kaptur said afterwards. “We have a strong partnershipbetween the federal government, the University of Toledo and the stateof Ohio to develop our green economy. We have the best workers in theworld. Now we have to go about diversifying our economy.”
“With the right policies, Ohio can be at the forefront for producingparts for wind and solar equipment,” said Amy Hanauer, director ofPolicy Matters Ohio, who participated in a roundtable discussion.