Julia M. Carson Learning Center, Heating Assistance, and the Jobs Report -- February 4, 2011

Thank you for reading another edition of my e-newsletter, the Carson Courier. For additional information on these and other topics, please visit my website at https://www.carson.house.gov.

In this week's Carson Courier:

Commemorating the Official Opening of the Julia M. Carson Learning Resource Center
Heating Assistance is Available
Private Sector Continues to Add Jobs in January

Commemorating the Official Opening of the Julia M. Carson Learning Resource Center

On Friday, I joined leaders from Ivy Tech Community College for a dedication and ribbon cutting ceremony for the official opening of the Julia M. Carson Learning Resource Center on Ivy Tech's downtown campus in Indianapolis.

The 229,000 square foot, four-story multimodal facility will be home to the new campus library, tutoring services, a community room and a 500-space parking garage. My grandmother was a strong supporter of this project from the very beginning and was very influential in assisting Ivy Tech with obtaining federal grant money to complete the facility. I know she would be truly touched by this tremendous honor.

For more information about this event, please visit my website here.

Heating Assistance is Available

The recent winter storm that hit Indianapolis and the Midwest highlights the dangers for those without heat. It is particularly difficult for low-income individuals and families in Indianapolis struggling to heat their homes.

That's why it is so important to increase awareness of local, state and federal programs that provide heating assistance. During this cold winter season, I applaud nonprofits, churches, utility companies and local officials alike for their tireless efforts to keep the most vulnerable among us safe and warm.

For more information and to figure out if you qualify for heating assistance, please click here, here and here.

Private Sector Continues to Add Jobs in January

The January jobs report released on Friday by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is further proof that the U.S. economy continues to improve. Historically, January is a month in which companies often cut jobs. But during this past January, we saw an increase of 35,000 jobs, and the unemployment rate fall to 9 percent - its lowest level since 2009. For many Hoosiers struggling to afford basic medical care, food and gas, I realize that the pace of economic recovery is simply too slow. But, take heart, this January jobs report is yet another encouraging indicator that economic recovery is well underway.

To read the official BLS report, please click here.

Thank you for reading the Carson Courier. Please do not hesitate to contact me with your thoughts and concerns. For more information, please visit my website at https://www.carson.house.gov, my Congressional Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/CongressmanAndreCarson and follow me on Twitter @RepAndreCarson. I value your views and your input which help me to better represent the people of Indiana's 7th District in Congress.