Web Site Collects Data on Stimulus

As Obama administration officials traveled the country this week announcing the distribution of hundreds of millions of dollars in new economic stimulus grants, a government Web site, FederalReporting.gov, began accepting the spending and jobs data from grant recipients that will provide the first fact-based progress report about the economic recovery efforts. By mid-October, the government plans to post information from stimulus money recipients online, allowing the public to review the data. Government observers, many who applaud the transparency, said that the move may provoke as many questions as answers. Recipients of stimulus money have until Oct. 1 to register. Once registered, they have until mid-October to submit their first progress report, which must include detailed information about how and where the money is spent and the number of jobs created by the funding. Recipients could face legal action if they purposely report incorrect data.