Economic stimulus and recovery update

And it's on to the Senate. According to NSSGA, which is monitoring the situation closely, Senate appropriators released figures contained in the Senate version of the economic stimulus and recovery bill just passed by the house. While limited details are available about the bill, it is known that it contains just over $43 billion in transportation spending. This total figure is similar to that allocated in the House version. However, unlike the $30 billion in the House bill for highway spending, the Senate's is $3 billion less at $27 billion.

The Senate's Appropriations committee and Finance committee both held mark-up hearings for the economic stimulus bill. Both committees passed the bill as written out of committee. It now goes to the full Senate for consideration. During the mark-up, no amendments were added at the request of the respective committee chairman. Senators will have the opportunity to offer amendments to the bill when it is debated on the Senate floor.

Senate Environment and Public Works committee Chairman Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.); Ranking Member Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.), Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.) and Sen. George Voinovich (R-Ohio), prior to mark-ups, wrote to Appropriations committee Chairman Daniel K. Inouye (D-Hawaii) expressing concerns about what they consider the inadequate funding level for highways. Citing the large number of "ready-to-go" transportation projects around the country and the economic benefits of highway investment, they stated their belief that the level of highway investment should be at least 10 percent of the total stimulus package. Your comment?