Arizona

November 9, 2011 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Arizona state Sen. Russell Pearce, the architect of Arizona's anti-immigrant law, was defeated in a recall election Tuesday. Pearce's "show me your papers" law and other legislative proposals against immigrants led to the recall that included an aggressive campaign to increase Latino voter turnout in a solidly GOP district. The following is a statement by SEIU International Secretary-Treasurer Eliseo Medina:

"A few years ago, Russell Pearce called for the mass deportation of suspected undocumented immigrants in Arizona. He wanted to bring back the 1950s-era federal deportation program sadly known as 'Operation Wetback.' More recently, he favored stripping away the constitutional rights of citizenship to children of immigrants.

PHOENIX, Ariz., Nov. 3, 2011-- USDA Under Secretary for Rural Development Dallas Tonsager today met with Arizona small business leaders to gather input on how the Obama Administration can work with local businesses and community leaders to improve rural economic conditions and create jobs. The meeting was hosted by the Arizona Small Business Association at their headquarters in Phoenix. The event was one in a series of round tables being held across the nation with senior Obama Administration officials on behalf of the White House Business Council.

Arizona Recovery Dollars Have Provided Funding For More Than 2,800 Education Jobs

March 23, 2010 -- U. S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan today announced that an additional $274,516,879 is now available for Arizona under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009.

To date, Arizona has received $2,025,348,925 through the Recovery Act. The state recently reported that recovery dollars have been used to provide funding for more than 2,800 education jobs from Oct. 1 to Dec. 31, 2009, while also supporting programs that drive education reform.

March 18, 2010 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) today announced that federal disaster aid has been made available to the State of Arizona to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the areas struck by severe winter storms and flooding during the period of January 18-22, 2010.

Governor Brewer to Proceed With Proposed Education Reforms Regardless of Federal Decisions

March 4, 2010 -- PHOENIX – Arizona Governor Jan Brewer today announced that with or without the federal government, Arizona will continue to move forward with its aggressive and innovative plans for education reform. The Obama Administration rejected Arizona’s first round application to receive Race to the Top funds (RTTT).

The education reform proposals developed in the process of this application have helped Arizona enter into a new stage of transforming education to meet the challenges of the 21st Century.

Announces State of Arizona Awarded $5 million for Energy Sector Training Grant

January 22, 2010 -- PHOENIX – Arizona Governor Jan Brewer today announced the State of Arizona has been awarded $5 million through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 by the U.S.

Department of Labor. The funds come from the State Energy Sector Partnership and Training Grants which are designed to teach workers the skills required in emerging industries, including energy efficiency and renewable energy. The grant will help train more than 1,500 Arizonans.

January 25, 2010 -- The President today declared an emergency exists in the State of Arizona and ordered Federal aid to supplement State and local response efforts in the area struck by a severe winter storm beginning on January 20, 2010, and continuing.

Application Reflects Governor Brewer’s Education Reform Agenda

January 19, 2010 -- PHOENIX – Arizona Governor Jan Brewer today submitted Arizona’s Race to the Top (RTTT) application, a $4.35 billion competitive education reform grant program funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009, to the U.S. Department of Education.

January 15, 2010 -- Washington, DC – The Department of the Interior (DOI) announced today that three contracts totaling nearly $18 million will go to Yuma-area projects under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The contracts vary in size and purpose, but all are targeted at the transportation and agricultural sectors and will provide economic opportunities for local businesses.

Plan Preserves Core Government Functions of Education, Public Safety

January 15, 2010 -- PHOENIX – Arizona Governor Jan Brewer today presented the Arizona Legislature her specific and detailed recommendations to balance the State’s General Fund budgets for Fiscal Years 2010 and 2011.