TRENTON, NJ – Woodworkers can be as optimistic as New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and Connecticut Governor Dannel P. Malloy, who thanked the House of Representatives for passing the Hurricane Sandy Relief Act.
“We are grateful to those members of Congress who today pulled together in a unified, bipartisan coalition to assist millions of their fellow Americans in New Jersey, New York and Connecticut at their greatest time of need," the Governors said jointly. The bill, which moves to the Senate, puts massive dollars into infrastructure rebuilds, and specifies money for repairing projects that were under construction when Hurricane Sandy hit, plus rebuilding homes.
Of the $50 billion, a ‘Community Development Fund’ of $3.85 billion is "to remain available until September 30, 2017, for necessary expenses related to disaster relief, long-term recovery, restoration of infrastructure and housing and economic revitalization in the most impacted and distressed areas resulting from a major disaster declared pursuant to the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.) due to Hurricane Sandy,” according to the language of the 32-page bill. Once passed by the Senate, the money should arrive in the area about the time Woodworking Network opens Cabinets & Closets Expo 2013 in Edison, NJ.
Also topping the wood industry reports this week were a think piece on CBS's 60 Minutes look at robots, a Denver pine beetle wood furniture crafter who won $100,000 for his business plan, and Walmart's pledge to buy more U.S.-made furniture and help manufacturers prepare to produce it.
Here are the week's top wood industry reports:
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Are Robots Taking Over Woodworking Jobs? |
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Walmart Pledges Furniture Insourcing to U.S. |
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Pine Beetle Woodworker Wins Big in Ketel One Competition |
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idX Acquires Creative Cabinet Systems of Dayton |
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Rugby Architectural Building Products Reaches 30 States |
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Moulding & Trim Demand on the Rebound |
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80 Maple, Pine Bowling Alley Lanes Reclaimed by Pioneer Millworks |
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Wood Reclaiming Salvage Dawgs an HGTV Hit |
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At Stolo Cabinets, County Funds Lean Manufacturing Training |
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Tour World's Thinnest House in 1 Minute |
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