Obama wants stimulus projects to hire more minorities, women

Amid mounting criticism that minorities, women and low-income workers are missing out on business opportunities and jobs under the stimulus bill, the Obama administration is urging the nation's governors to work harder to ensure that these groups participate fully in state transportation projects that receive federal funding. The issue of equity has cast a cloud over the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act in recent weeks as various reports appear to confirm what minority advocates and some economists have been saying: that the fruits of the stimulus bill may not be reaching groups who are suffering the most in the worst recession in decades. While the unemployment rate is 9.3 percent for whites, the jobless rate for blacks is 15.6 percent and 12.7 percent for Hispanics. Nationally, it's 10 percent. The Congressional Black Caucus has criticized President Barack Obama for not providing more direct assistance to African Americans during the recession. "Behind virtually every economic indicator you will find gross racial disparities. We believe that tackling systemic inequality requires specific, concrete and targeted action," said Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Calif., the chairwoman of the black caucus. A survey of registered voters by the Hart Research Group reported that less than 30 percent of Hispanics saw any benefit from federal recovery efforts in their neighborhoods, including the creation or retention of any jobs. READ FULL STORY
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