ARRA Frequently Asked Questions
What is Recovery.gov
ARRA FAQs
Recovery.gov is a website that lets you, the taxpayer, figure out where the money from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is going. There are going to be a few different ways to search for information. Within days after the signing of the legislat
Where can I learn more about how the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will affect the budget?
ARRA FAQs
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has calculated the impact that the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will have on the federal government’s budget deficit. You can review those calculations How will the Recovery Act work?
ARRA FAQs
Very soon, the different agencies — such as the Departments of Education; Health and Human Services; and Energy — will decide who will receive award grants and contracts. Sometimes the money will go to a state government; other times, the funds will go
I heard I'd be able to track recovery funds. Why can't I do that?
ARRA FAQs
You aren’t able to track funds yet because we have not yet started receiving information from Federal agencies on how they are going to allocate the money. It takes a little bit of time for them to make sure your money is going to be spent wisely. Right n
Who runs Recovery.gov?
Disaster Recovery FAQs
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act establishes an oversight board of inspectors general (the watchdogs of government) called the Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board, which is responsible for overseeing Federal agencies to ensure that there is transparency and accountability for the expenditure of recovery funds. For the interim period until that board becomes operational, the President has coordinated a team from across Federal agencies to track Recovery Act dollars and report findings on this website.
I want to help. What can I do?
Disaster Recovery FAQs
Over the course of the spring, increasing amounts of information will become available on Recovery.gov that will show where the money is going. We are counting on you to peruse that information and tell us what you find. Please share your stories, your id
How can I see how much recovery money is coming to my community?
Disaster Recovery FAQs
Until the funding is distributed by the Federal government to states and local governments, and eventually to your community, we won’t be able to determine exactly where all of the funding will go. Over the next few weeks and months, there’s going to be a
What's the purpose of the new legislation?
ARRA FAQs
The purpose of the Recovery Act is to create and save jobs, jumpstart our economy, and build the foundation for long-term economic growth. The Act includes measures to modernize the nation’s infrastructure, enhance America’s energy independence, expand ed
Where can I find the full text of The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009?
ARRA FAQs
The text of the law can be found in Text or PDF format here.
What type of programs will this recovery package fund?
ARRA FAQs
The Recovery Act specifies appropriations for a wide range of Federal programs and will increase or extend certain benefits payable under the Medicaid, unemployment compensation, and nutrition assistance programs. The legislation also reduces individua
What will I be able to locate on Recovery.gov?
ARRA FAQs
Federal agencies are taking in bids for recovery projects, so right now, Recovery.gov features a summary of the funds that are allocated for different programs, as well as the responsible Federal agencies. As Federal agencies and other recipient organizat
What’s a better way to find the information I’m looking for — browsing or searching?
ARRA FAQs
The website will have both functions, but for now, browsing is a better bet. As we begin to fill the database with more data, the search function will be more useful in finding specific information.
How does Recovery.gov differ from USASpending.gov?
ARRA FAQs
Recovery.gov tracks only the targeted investments allocated by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. USASpending.gov collects data about all types of contracts, grants, loans, and spending across government agencies.
How can I contact the Administration with questions or comments about Recovery.gov and the recovery package?
ARRA FAQs
Q: A: The best method to comment or ask a question on Recovery.gov is to use our contact us form. The question or message will be referred to the best person to h
Is Recovery.gov accessible for people for with disabilities?
ARRA FAQs
Recovery.gov complies with all of the automatic checkpoints of the Section 508 Accessibility Guidelines, and has been manually verified for nearly all of the manual checkpoints. This compliance has been tested using Watchfire WebXACT progra
What is a fiscal year (FY)?
ARRA FAQs
For accounting purposes, the Federal government uses a defined 12-month period as a financial or fiscal year. The Federal fiscal year begins on October 1 and ends on September 30 of the following calendar year. For instance, fiscal year 2009 is 10/1/20
Is the spending data on recovery.gov available in a format (like XML) that developers can use to create mashups and gadgets?
ARRA FAQs
Not at this time. But, as new systems are developed to capture the allocations and expenditures under the Act, we plan to make that data available in exportable form.
