WASHINGTON (CNN) - Vice President Joe Biden convened the first of what is expected to be a series of weekly stimulus plan implementation meetings Wednesday, saying it's critical to ensure that "the money that is spent is spent well."
The $787 billion package "is about creating and saving jobs now," Biden said. "We've got to make sure we hold as many people as possible accountable. (We need to) follow the money to make sure it's getting out there and is working."
Biden, who has been tasked with overseeing the distribution of stimulus funds, announced several fund disbursements, including $15 billion in Medicaid assistance and $10 billion to help make public housing more energy efficient.
Several Cabinet members attended the conference at the White House, including Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner, Office of Management and Budget Director Peter Orszag, Energy Secretary Steven Chu and Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.
Former Interior Department Inspector General Earl Devaney, who has been tapped to head a new Recovery Act Transparency and Accountability Board, also attended.
The Transparency and Accountability Board was established by President Barack Obama to ensure that the stimulus package is spent in an open, efficient manner.
The "unprecedented spending" in the stimulus package, Obama said Monday, comes with an "unprecedented obligation" to avoid waste.
From CNN Politics
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I assume the Vice President attended Ash Wednesday service this morning.
Blessings, Mr. Biden! From the photo, I see you made it to church today. I hope and wish that you will execute this facet of your duties very well.
I love Joe Biden but he needs to get that ink off of his forhead. LOL. At least that is a sign that he is working. I remember being up working on grad school notes and having my pen go nuts and have ink all over my hands. Hahaha. I am sure everyone will come on bashing his intelligence or experience over a silly mistake if that is indeed ink. I am glad that there will be oversight for the spending portion of the stimulus. I hope the same oversight is applicable in the tax credit portion so that the rich don't continue to get richer while the rest of America, some of which work really hard, don't have to scramble while the wealthy laugh in their faces. Interesting how Buffett has a conversation with Obama that Obama mentions in The Audacity of Hope where Buffett discusses how he think the tax cuts he receives are basically ridiculous. So I am not bashing all of the wealthy out there.
Did someone from the GOP hit the Vice President square in the middle of his forehead? Move over Rhiana...you have been upstaged.
What on earth is on his forehead? (Clunk: "I could have had a V8") Or did Mr. Obama have to bop him after yet another gaffe ("Obama will be tested in his first year in office")? Or is it just a smudge? We'll probably never know.
I need everyone to go to twentyfivedollarbill.com so we can get Barak Obama on the twenty five dollar bill.
You show 'em , Joe! What a refreshing change to have an active and engaged VP who does more than pull puppet strings, grunt and hide in a undisclosed location.
I love Joe Biden. He's honest, straight forward and a good man.
Okay Joe, clean house, we're counting on you.
hey i hear all this talk about the stimulus plan package and have heard alot of people say "when we get our stimulus checks" and i tell those people that we are not actually getting the checks, that we are just getting family tax-breaks. I just want to know are we the american citizens getting another stimulus check this year. i am so confused could you please help? thanks
Because nobody messes with Joe! I love it!
Does anyone else notice a black smudge on Biden's forehead???
Keep them honest, Joe! We're counting on you!
Wow they are putting "Plugs" in charge of something......
Good post, but what's with the dark smudge on Biden's forehead?
Do not cross Conan the Delawarian!!! He will eat you AND your babies!!!
Wow, almost laughable this guy is overseeing the distribution of this pork. Same guy that stuffed his pockets with cash from the predatory lenders in his state.
I like Biden but personally it is scary thinking of him overseeing our money. Heck, he didn't even know the website to go to. Is Obama doing this in case things fail, he can blame it on Biden? Maybe that is what Biden meant when he said we had a 30% chance of failing.
Go get them BO. Show them what you mean by getting down to Bussiness
So, Biden appears to be in control of how the stimulus is spent. Let me get this straight.....the Vice President is in control of our first major legislation of the new administration, and potentially the more important policy decision of this administration.
Didn't we just get rid of this type of VP/Washington insider pulling the strings on major policy issues?
And for you people who respond this isn't the same as the previous administration.....how do you know that????
Biden has already been quited as saying he wants to have more influence then any other VP on policy issues, which is amazing considering what we just went through.
What about the rogue country , Pakistan????
Are we STILL wasting money on those baasturds?? Bush was the BIGGEST mouron on the face of the earth to waste billions on them and look what they did !!! They (the so called non state actors!!) increased our ever increasing Trade deficit with China by buying arms and ammo
I hope that Biden can get things organized and show states and cities what is a good project and what isn't.
I concur w/ the President & Vice-President. Because we don't want our money slipping into the Republicans pockets or Democrats for that matter. There has to be someone to oversee & track each dollar. Smart move Mr. President. Wow! I love this President everyone is held accountable. The Repubs last night look absolutely ridicolus and anger as hell that this young buck is calling everybody out. The current President has accomplish more in more month than Bush did in 8 years.
The Administration needs to withhold any and all future Federal funding from any city, county, or state found to engage in waste, fraud and abuse of the taxpayer's dollars. Put the spotlight and pressure on elected officials at the local level to "do good" or their constituents will pay the price.
Why is Joe's head smudged?
Ash Wednesday?
Is it lent, or did someone punch the VP in the forehead?
You know, Cheney's not there anymore guys. The VP of our country is no longer a guy that's ok to beat up.
I keed, I keed.