美國準總統歐巴馬日前承諾，1月20日上任後將立即啟動一項數十億美元的「美國復甦與再投資計畫」（American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan），可提供300萬個工作機會，使替代能源的生產量倍增、強化75％聯邦機構建築與200萬個美國住家因應氣候變化的能力、並投資新基礎設施、科學研究與科技。
歐巴馬8日在喬治梅森大學 （George Mason University）進行演說時表示，上任後將對立即啟動上述計畫，這項計畫「不只是一項新政策而已，而是展現我們面對當前危機的全新作為」。「為此我請求國會和我的團隊日以繼夜的研商，必要時週末也加班，就是希望為了幾週內這計畫能獲得通過。」
他接著說：「為了使潔淨能源經濟能有所突破，未來3年內的替代能源產能要倍增。我們會改造'75%的聯邦建築物、改進200萬個美國住家的能源使用效率，以節省消費者與納稅人數十億美元能源開支。在這個過程中，我們要讓美國人獲得新的工作，更好的薪資，不會因委外而失去工作機會。」
他解釋：「這些工作機會包括，建置太陽能板、風力發電機，以及打造省能車輛、興建省能建築。甚至，開發新能源科技，藉此創造更多工作機會、省下更多的錢，營造一個更乾淨、更安全的地球。」
由民主黨取得主控權的國會，6日開啟新會期時也釋出訊息，將支持歐巴馬的計畫。7日在一場民主黨「政策暨指導委員會」舉行的論壇上，加州出身的眾議院議長裴洛西（Nancy Pelosi）說，「我們會快速執行這項計畫，並與準總統歐巴馬提早合作，以便能在總統日（2月16日）之前完成立法。」
內華達州出身的參議院多數黨領袖瑞德（Harry Reid）也在當天召開記者會表示，新國會最重要的十件事之一，便是透過「美國復甦與再投資計畫」來振興經濟。他說：「這個國會中，民主黨有個明確的目標，要傳達美國人期待的改變。我們現在正面臨一些有史以來最嚴重的問題，這些沉苛無法在短時間內解決，但藉由兩黨的合作方式，民主黨確信這能讓我們美國往前邁進。」
歐巴馬在8日的演說中也表示，他認為「合作」是這個計畫的特色，並承諾相關決策過程要透明化。「美國復甦與再投資計畫不會只靠砸錢來解決問題，經費是用來投資的。我們政策的真正考驗，無關乎民主黨與共和黨的理念之爭，而是它是否真能創造工作機會、提振經濟，讓所有國人實現美國夢。」
很多環保人士也都支持歐巴馬的計畫。地球之友（Friends of the Earth）主席布萊克衛德（Brent Blackwelder）說，「美國正面臨盤根交錯的能源與經濟複雜問題，而準總統歐巴馬暸解這個問題的癥結，也答應要用大膽的改革解決。有他的領導，我們可以創造百萬個綠色工作機會，同時以21世紀省能、乾淨的公共建設來提振經濟。」
地球之友目前正進行一項「新道路＝新污染」宣導活動，希望在獎勵投資方案中納入「聰明運輸」（smart transportation）的投資，阻止新蓋新道路的經費。他們期待，歐巴馬能讓經費挹注給更新、拓展較為乾淨的交通設施方案
美國遊說團體「環境保衛基金會」（Environmental Defense）也提出一項交通政策說帖，呼籲歐巴馬政府與國會的交通改善方案，應多注重「現有既存的公共設施」，這可讓美國人馬上獲得工作，長遠來看，製造的空污和溫室氣體也較少。該團體表示：「政策制定者應該增加城市之間的各種形式的公共交通運輸。創新且已經可行的方案如快速巴士運輸，就能增加使用各城鎮間原有道路運輸的機會。」
另外，由159個企業及組織成員、以及61名運動人士組成的「永續能源網絡」，日前發表一封給國會的公開信，他們敦促立法人員在構思經濟復甦方案時，專注在永續能源科技與綠色工作機會，而非核能發電與石化能源。他們說，「投注資金在那些可隨時啟用的節能、再生能源計畫，能帶來最多的工作機會，減少溫室氣體排放與能源依賴，對社會和環境的負面衝擊也最低。」
歐巴馬8日說明，他的美國復甦與再投資計畫中，專注在修復破碎道路、橋墩、與校舍的同時，給予人民工作機會，而排除那些規劃完整、但花費昂貴的公共建設上。他「革新美國、讓全球經濟受益」的計畫是，更新電力運輸網絡，「打造一個智慧型電力網，節省人民的荷包、讓我們的電力來源免於斷電或攻擊威脅，在全國每個角落展現乾淨的替代能源。」
他要拓展美國鄉鎮間的寬頻網路，「這樣一來，在鄉村的小型企業也能與世界各個地方連結，也能與對手競爭。」
但歐巴馬也沒有避免談論他將要面對的困難。「我們在2009年面對的危機與以往所見得的不同，這個危機在近數週加劇。200萬個工作機會已經消失，而我們將會失去比第二次世界大戰之後更多的工作機會。」他繼續說，「我不認為現在改變方向會太晚。但如果我們沒有採取更強烈的行動，這將會成真。如果放任不做，這個消退現象將會持續數年。失業率會達到兩位數，而我們的經濟會縮減一兆美元，也就是說，每個4人小家庭會減少12,000美元的收入。」
他表示，「這個結果已經加劇人們對經濟、金融市場與政府信心的流失。」最重要的事實是，這「項危機太大，已經超過我們的能力所及。不過，深植於過去的錯誤才是我們的問題所在，我們因應未來的能力，不會是個問題。」
President-elect Barack Obama today pledged to quickly implement a plan that will save or create three million jobs by doubling the production of alternative energy; weatherizing 75 percent of federal buildings and two million American homes; and investing in new infrastructure, science, research, and technology.
In a speech at George Mason University, Obama said the multi-billion dollar American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan he will advance immediately after he takes office on January 20, represents "not just new policy, but a whole new approach to meeting our most urgent challenges."
"That's why I'm asking Congress to work with me and my team day and night, on weekends if necessary, to get the plan passed in the next few weeks," he said.
"To finally spark the creation of a clean energy economy, we will double the production of alternative energy in the next three years," Obama said. "We will modernize more than 75 percent of federal buildings and improve the energy efficiency of two million American homes, saving consumers and taxpayers billions on our energy bills."
"In the process, we will put Americans to work in new jobs that pay well and can't be outsourced," said Obama, "jobs building solar panels and wind turbines; constructing fuel-efficient cars and buildings; and developing the new energy technologies that will lead to even more jobs, more savings, and a cleaner, safer planet in the bargain."
The new Democrat-controlled Congress opened on Tuesday, with indications that Obama's plan will receive support.
At a forum Wednesday held by the Democratic Steering and Policy Committee on the American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California, said that Congress will move quickly to implement the plan.
Said Pelosi, "We will be working in the days ahead with our President-elect so we have legislation before we observe President's Day this year." The holiday falls on February 16, 2009.
At a news conference Wednesday, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada detailed the top 10 priorities for the new Congress, beginning with the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to help improve the economy.
"This Congress, Democrats have one explicit goal: to deliver the change Americans have demanded," Reid said. "We are confronting some of the most severe problems we have faced in generations. They didn't happen overnight and they won't be solved in a day, but by working together in a bipartisan fashion, Democrats know we can move our country forward."
Bipartisanship is an integral feature of the plan, Obama said today. Pledging transparency in decisionmaking, he said, "The American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan won't just throw money at our problems - we'll invest in what works. The true test of the policies we'll pursue won't be whether they're Democratic or Republican ideas, but whether they create jobs, grow our economy, and put the American Dream within reach of the American people.
Many environmentalists support Obama's plan. Friends of the Earth President Brent Blackwelder said, "America is facing profound and deeply intertwined energy and economic crises. President-elect Obama's speech today indicates he understands the tremendous scope and interrelated nature of these challenges - and that he is committed to leading the bold, transformative changes that will be needed to solve them."
"With his leadership," said Blackwelder, "we can create millions of green jobs "and revitalize our economy, while building a clean and efficient 21st Century infrastructure."
Friends of the Earth is running a "New Roads = New Pollution" campaign to encourage smart transportation investments in the stimulus package and to block funding for new roads. Instead, the group wants Obama to direct funding towards improving and expanding clean transportation options, including public transit and passenger rail, as well as on maintaining and repairing the roads and bridges that already exist.
"Dollar for dollar," said Blackwelder, "investments in public transportation and road and bridge repair create more jobs than new road construction and lead to cleaner air and less pollution."
The advocacy organization Environmental Defense today issued a transportation policy statement that urges the Obama administration and Congress to focus on "getting more value from existing infrastructure" to improve transportation, put Americans to work now, save money in the long run and reduce health-threatening air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.
Policymakers should, "Increase support for transit in cities of all sizes and in all regions of the country," said Environmental Defense, putting the emphasis on "innovative but proven systems, such as bus-rapid-transit, that can deliver service quickly using the country's existing road infrastructure."
In a letter delivered to Congress Wednesday, 159 businesses and organizations in the Sustainable Energy Network, joined by 61 individual activists, urged the lawmakers to focus on sustainable energy technologies and green jobs, but not nuclear power and fossil fuels, when they consider the economic stimulus bill this week.
The letter argues that "funding should be targeted at those energy efficiency and renewable energy projects that can be brought on line quickly, will maximize job creation, will curb greenhouse gases and energy imports, and have the least adverse social and environmental impacts."
Obama said today that his American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan will "put people to work repairing crumbling roads, bridges, and schools by eliminating the backlog of well-planned, worthy and needed infrastructure projects."
To "retrofit America for a global economy" he plans to update electricity transmission by building "a new smart grid that will save us money, protect our power sources from blackout or attack, and deliver clean, alternative forms of energy to every corner of our nation."
He plans to expand broadband lines across America, "so that a small business in a rural town can connect and compete with their counterparts anywhere in the world."
But Obama did not minimize the difficult problems he faces as he takes the reins of power on January 20.
"We start 2009 in the midst of a crisis unlike any we have seen in our lifetime - a crisis that has only deepened over the last few weeks," said the president-elect. "Nearly two million jobs have now been lost, and on Friday we are likely to learn that we lost more jobs last year than at any time since World War II."
Obama listed America's economic woes - manufacturing at a 28 year low, businesses that cannot borrow or make payroll, families who cannot pay their bills or their mortgages, workers watching their life savings disappear.
