国际英语新闻：U.S. stimulus plan saves 2.8 million jobs so far: Biden

WASHINGTON, June 17 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Vice President Joe Biden said Thursday that the Obama administration's economic recovery act has saved 2.8 million jobs so far, with thousands more projects coming soon in a busy summer of construction.

This summer "is actually poised to be the most active Recovery Act season," according to a statement released by the White House, "with tens of thousands of projects underway across the country that will help to create jobs for American workers and economic growth for businesses."

"The act is working," Biden said.

Take highway projects for example, there will be six times as many highway projects underway in July 2010 as in July 2009 -- projects will surge from 1,750 last summer to over 10,000 this summer.

The government expects that the stimulus plan will create 3.5 million jobs in total by the end of 2010.

However, U.S. unemployment rate, currently at 9.7 percent, is not expected to fall significantly this year.