A $787-billion economic stimulus package is heading to the White House for President Barack Obama’s signature following final congressional approval of the huge package of federal spending and tax breaks. The bill includes an estimated $130 billion in spending for construction programs as well as tax incentives that also will give the industry a boost. High-speed rail systems were surprise winners in final stimulus bill. Related Links: State by State Project Data Video: The Stimulus Highways and Bridges By State One surprise winner in what Congress approved is high-speed rail, which received $9.3 billion in funding. A big loser was
A mammoth economic-stimulus measure has advanced on its long, winding path through Congress, with the Senate’s approval on Feb. 10 of a $838.2-billion package that was pared back from an earlier version. The cuts that were needed to win enough votes to pass the bill included about $27 billion in construction funds. That left the final Senate bill with about $133 billion for construction programs, compared with about $160 billion in the bill as it cleared committee. The major construction casualty came in school-construction aid, where lawmakers deleted all $19.5 billion the original bill had recommended for K-12 and college
Congressional negotiators have struck a deal on a compromise, $787-billion economic-stimulus bill, said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.). The measure is smaller than the $819.5-billion package that the House approved on Jan. 28 and the $838-billion measure that the Senate passed Feb. 10. Sen. Collins opposed precedent of funding school construction. Reid said at a Feb. 11 afternoon press conference in the Capitol that differences between the house and senate bills were "resolved." He added, "The bills were really quite similar. And I'm pleased to announce we've been able to bridge those differences." Technically, the deal is not yet
The Senate has approved an $838.2-billion economic stimulus bill by a 61-37 vote. The margin was slightly higher than the 60-vote minimum needed for approval, as Republicans Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe, both of Maine, and Pennsylvania's Arlen Specter, joined all 58 Democrats to vote for the bill. The Senate package now must be reconciled with the estimated $819.5-billion stimulus measure that the House passed on Jan. 28. The House bill has about $160 billion for construction programs and the Senate's contains about $130 billion. Shortly after the vote the Senate quickly named its representatives to the conference with the
To win over a few key Republican votes, a small group of Senators has recommended about $108 billion in cuts from an economic stimulus package that had grown to more than $900 billion. The major construction program casualty is the original Senate stimulus bill's $19.5 billion for school construction funding, which the team of lawmakers deleted. In all, a team led by Sens. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) trimmed $108 billion from the bill as it was introduced earlier. Cuts in spending accounted for $83 billion of the reductions and $25 billion came from cuts in tax incentives.
Capitol Hill action on an economic stimulus bill has shifted to the Senate floor, where on Feb. 2 debate began on an $884.5-billion package of spending and tax breaks. The measure’s estimated $160 billion in construction-related spending appears safe, and Senate infrastructure advocates are trying to boost that total higher. But they probably will need to propose offsetting spending cuts to win approval for any increases. Related Links: New Stimulus Bills Are Really More Hurt Than Help Sources: House, Senate Appropriations Committees, Congressional Budget Office, ENR *Construction funding estimated The first key floor vote, on Feb. 3, didn’t go well
Capitol Hill action on an economic stimulus bill has shifted to the Senate, which has begun to debate a package estimated at $888 billion. At least several days of discussion and amendments are expected. It appears that the Senate package's estimated $160 billion in construction-related spending is safe and that Democrats may seek to add more money for such infrastructure accounts as highways and Corps of Engineers water projects. Photo: AP Sen. Barbara Boxer favors increasing highway component of stimulus. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee leaders have stated that they favor tripling the $27-billion highway allocation that the proposal
The Senate has moved quickly, in most cases, to approve President Barack Obama’s nominees to Cabinet posts, including his choices to lead departments that oversee major construction programs, such as transportation and energy. Industry officials now will focus on whom Obama will pick for sub-Cabinet positions, including deputy and assistant secretaries. Photo: AP/Wideworld Confirmation has come quickly for most nominees. Among a group of nominees confirmed on Jan. 22 was former Illinois congressman Ray LaHood, a Republican, as transportation secretary. LaHood was approved the day after his confirmation hearing before the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee. During the hearing, LaHood
Along-awaited economic stimulus bill continues to advance on Capitol Hill as Democrats push to meet their goal of having a final measure on President Barack Obama’s desk by about Feb. 16. But Senate Republicans continue to criticize the packages as being too big and contend that not enough of the money will turn into programs or projects that create jobs in the next year to two years. Still, the GOP may not have the votes to derail the packages. Photo: AP/Wideworld Sen. Thad Cochran (seated) confers with Senate colleague last year. Todd Hauptli, American Association of Airport Executives’ senior executive
The formal negotiations on the $825-billion economic stimulus start now. Two Senate committees on Jan. 27 are scheduled to begin discussing, and probably amending, portions of their versions of the package. The Senate Appropriations Committee is to take up a $365-billion discretionary-spending section, drafted by the panel's new Chairman, Daniel Inouye (Hawaii). The Finance Committee will take up a proposed $275 billion in tax cuts and about $180 billion in funding, including aid to states, the unemployed and those on food stamps. Both committees are slated to begin their "markup" sessions at 10:30 a.m. At $825 billion, the Senate committees'
