Town Hall to Focus on Economy and American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
WASHINGTON (Feb. 13, 2009)—Congressman Steny Hoyer, D-Mechanicsville, announced today that he will conduct a telephone town hall meeting on Thursday, February 19, from 7:00 – 8:00 p.m. that will focus on the economy and the just–passed American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Citizens living in Maryland’s Fifth Congressional District (Calvert, Charles and St. Mary’s counties and portions of Prince George’s and Anne Arundel counties) are invited to participate. A relatively new technology, the telephone town hall allows citizens to participate in a live, interactive discussion with Congressman Hoyer from the convenience of their homes.
“Marylanders have felt the impact of this economic downturn in lost wealth, lost homes, and lost jobs contributing to a state unemployment rate that has climbed to its highest level in 15 years,” said Rep. Hoyer. “The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is our best hope to pull our economy out of this recession, create and preserve jobs, and restore long-term growth and prosperity.”
“I hope that citizens will take this opportunity to join me for this substantive discussion about our economic challenges, Congress’ efforts to address the crisis, and the impact of the recovery and reinvestment bill on Maryland.”
The telephone town hall operates similar to a large-scale conference call between Rep. Hoyer and thousands of citizens living in Maryland’s Fifth Congressional District. At the outset of the upcoming town hall, the system will dial thousands of random households from throughout the area inviting them to participate. Call recipients then have the option of staying on the line to hear opening remarks from Rep. Hoyer, followed by an opportunity to participate in a question and answer session.
Citizens can also call in to ensure they are able to participate. Call 1-877-229-8493 as early as 6:55 p.m. and enter the pin number 12897.
Hoyer’s previous town hall meetings have drawn as many as 3,800 participants.