Recession Quiz Answers

1. What was the U.S. unemployment rate in March 2009?

ANSWER: The national unemployment rate was 8.5 percent, the highest in more than 25 years.

Bureau of Labor Statistics

2. Where will most of the federal stimulus funds approved by Congress be spent?

ANSWER: Tax Relief is where most of the stimulus funds will be spent, with $288 billion, or 37 percent of the total, going toward tax cuts.

Stimulus Funding Allocations

3. How many U.S. jobs were lost due to the recession, between December 2007 and March 2009?

ANSWER: 5.1 million jobs were lost due to the recession.

March Employment Situation Summary from the Bureau of Labor Statistics

4. How many U.S. jobs will be created or saved by the stimulus package?

ANSWER: 3.5 million jobs will be created or protected for categories including teachers, state and hospital employees and construction and transportation workers.

The Democratic Policy Committee's Stimulus Funding Report

5. How many of these jobs are expected to be created or saved in Maryland?

ANSWER: 66,000.

The Democratic Policy Committee's report on Maryland's federal stimulus funding (.pdf file)

6. How much federal stimulus funding is Maryland expected to receive over the next two fiscal years?

ANSWER: 3.9 billion is expected to be distributed to Maryland for fiscal years 2010 and 2011.

Maryland's Recovery and Reinvestment Web Site

7. Which Maryland jurisdiction will receive the most federal stimulus funding?

ANSWER: Baltimore City, with an allocation of $364,608,653.

Overview of Maryland's Recovery and Reinvestment by County

8. Protecting the vulnerable --a category in the federal stimulus spending plan --does not include funds for which of the following?

ANSWER: HIV clinics are not funded under this category. Protecting the vulnerable aims to provide relief for children, the poor and those who struggle to keep food on the table.

Description of Stimulus Funding Categories

9. The Recovery and Reinvestment Act -- the formal name for the federal stimulus plan -- aims to fight crime.

ANSWER: True. The Edward Byrne Justice Assistance Grant will provide $2 billion in funds to prevent and control crime and improve the criminal justice system.

Fighting Crime, Improving the Justice System

10. Which of the following U.S. territories will receive federal stimulus funding?

ANSWER: Both Puerto Rico and Guam will receive federal stimulus funds, along with the U.S. Virgin Islands,
American Samoa, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, Marshall Islands and the Federated States of Micronesia.

Investments by State and Territory

--By Hannah Kim

Copyright © 2009 University of Maryland Philip Merrill College of Journalism

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