Starting last week and continuing through the end of May, Social Security recipients in the Fifth District will see some economic relief as $250 economic recovery payments are sent out. Nearly $37.5 million dollars will be put directly back in the pockets of Fifth District residents. The payments, which were provided by the American Recovery Act and Reinvestment Act, started to go out on May 7 with the goal of all the payments being sent out by the end of May.
These economic recovery payments can make a real difference in the lives of millions of older Americans – many of whom have been hit hard by the economic crisis that has swept the country. As energy and healthcare costs have risen, these payments can cover a utility bill, a few prescriptions, or a month of groceries. It’s not a long-term economic solution, but it will ease some of the pain our older Americans are feeling right now in the recession.
The $250 payment is being sent to Social Security recipients separately, and not with their monthly Social Security check. The Social Security Administration (SSA) will deliver the $250 payment by check to those recipients who receive their Social Security benefit by check and by direct deposit for those recipients who receive their Social Security benefit by direct deposit.
Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the $250 economic recovery payments will also go to Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients, Railroad Retirement recipients, and disabled veterans. The payments are scheduled to begin going out to SSI recipients in mid-May, to Railroad Retirement recipients in late May, and to disabled veterans in June.
If someone regularly receives benefits from two or more of these programs – such as Social Security and Railroad Retirement, or a disabled veterans’ benefit and SSI – he or she will receive just one $250 payment. For more information about the recovery payments, visit http://www.socialsecurity.gov/payment/ or call the Social Security Administration at 1-800-772-1213.
In other economic recovery news, last week I announced that nearly $37 million in stimulus funds are confirmed to move ahead for reconstruction and repair of 5th District roads, bridges, and transit systems. The funds will be used for pavement restoration, replacing structurally deficient small bridges, and mass transit systems.
I believe that transportation and other infrastructure investments make sense for our communities, because they create jobs now and lay a strong foundation for economic recovery and attracting new business. We must have reliable infrastructure to compete in the global economy and support our small business owners. These recovery act funds can increase our region’s competitive advantage.
If you want to learn more about how our area is benefitting from the Recovery Act, I have created a new section on my website with county-by-county breakdowns of stimulus funding, as well as fact sheets that you can download about the tax cuts for individuals and small businesses that were included as part of the plan. Go to www.perriello.house.gov, and under “Issues & Legislation” at the top, pull down to the first page, “Economic Recovery.”
Please feel free to contact me to share your concerns and ideas. You may call 888.4.TOM4US (888.486.6487); write to 1520 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515; or visit www.perriello.house.gov to sign up for my weekly e-newsletter.
– Tom Perriello represents the Fifth District in the U.S. House of Representatives.
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