darin
01-20-2009, 09:45 AM
Received via email this morning...
House Democratic leaders began detailing a historic $825 billion economic stimulus package featuring $550 billion in spending and $275 billion in
tax breaks. The announcement on Thursday morning was a first
step in the process, as House committees prepare to mark up the package in hopes of sending a final bill to incoming President Obama by February 13, when Congress is scheduled to begin its President’s Day district work
period.
House Appropriations Chairman Obey (D-WI) also plans on completing the remaining spending bills for fiscal year 2009 by February 13. He expects the House to consider the fiscal 2009 omnibus spending bill, which contains the
nine remaining spending bills, the week of February 2. The FY ‘09 budgets for defense, homeland security, and MILCON/VA were passed as part of a FY ‘08 year end ending omnibus spending bill; the remaining government functions
were funded at fiscal 2008 levels.
The draft of the economic stimulus package includes about $13 billion in Defense, homeland security, foreign policy, and veteran-related projects.
According to House sources, the Defense, Homeland Security, Veterans Affairs and State Departments would be free to determine what projects
had the highest priority and could be built fastest and then executed with the money provided by the measure.
The bulk of the $13 billion, approximately $8.8 billion would go to the Defense Department. The tentative breakdown for the funds is:
• $350 million for research into using renewable energy to power weapons systems and military bases
• $3.75 billion for new construction of hospitals and ambulatory surgical centers
• $455 million for renovations to medical facilities
• $2.1 billion for repairs to military facilities
• $1.2 billion for new housing construction
• $154 billion to improve troop housing
• $360 million for new child development centers
• $400 million for new construction to support National Guard and Army Reserve units
• $4.5 billion for the Army Corps of Engineers for environmental
restoration, flood protection, hydropower and navigation
infrastructure (the current Corps’ construction backlog is $61 billion)
• $300 million to clean up closed military installations
The Veterans Affairs Department would be about $1 billion for:
• $950 million for medicalfacilities (there is currently a $5 billion maintenance backlog at the agency’s 153 facilities)
• $50 million to make monument and memorial repairs at veterans cemeteries
The proposal would also provide :
• $141.6 billion for education programs
• $124.1 billion for health care programs
• $102 billion in assistance to workers for job training and unemployment benefits
• $90 billion for transportation infrastructure
• $87 billion to help states with Medicaid costs
• $54 billion in energy spending
• $16 billion for science and technology related programs
• $4 billion for state and local law enforcement funding
The Republican reaction was tepid and questioned how much
input the GOP would have, testing President-elect Obama’s
vow to have a bipartisan process. They complained the package contained too much spending and had reservations about whether some spending
would do anything to improve the economy, point out some allocations such as $50 million for the National Endowment for the Arts.
In addition to a cautious Republican attitude, moderate and conservative Democrats who make up the 51-member House Blue Dog Coalition have
warned that some in their ranks may not vote for the current version of the bill unless they get assurances that the new administration will take steps to
address the rising debt and longterm fiscal challenges.
In addition to working through differences between House Democrats and Republicans, the House will need to work through differences with the Senate’s version of the legislation. The Senate has not released
an outline of their proposal, S1, but a Senate source did confirm that their version will include provisions to national security. New Senate Appropriations
Chairman Daniel K. Inouye (D-HI) plans to hold a markup session for the stimulus bill on January 22 with a draft ready for January 23.
House Democratic leaders began detailing a historic $825 billion economic stimulus package featuring $550 billion in spending and $275 billion in
tax breaks. The announcement on Thursday morning was a first
step in the process, as House committees prepare to mark up the package in hopes of sending a final bill to incoming President Obama by February 13, when Congress is scheduled to begin its President’s Day district work
period.
House Appropriations Chairman Obey (D-WI) also plans on completing the remaining spending bills for fiscal year 2009 by February 13. He expects the House to consider the fiscal 2009 omnibus spending bill, which contains the
nine remaining spending bills, the week of February 2. The FY ‘09 budgets for defense, homeland security, and MILCON/VA were passed as part of a FY ‘08 year end ending omnibus spending bill; the remaining government functions
were funded at fiscal 2008 levels.
The draft of the economic stimulus package includes about $13 billion in Defense, homeland security, foreign policy, and veteran-related projects.
According to House sources, the Defense, Homeland Security, Veterans Affairs and State Departments would be free to determine what projects
had the highest priority and could be built fastest and then executed with the money provided by the measure.
The bulk of the $13 billion, approximately $8.8 billion would go to the Defense Department. The tentative breakdown for the funds is:
• $350 million for research into using renewable energy to power weapons systems and military bases
• $3.75 billion for new construction of hospitals and ambulatory surgical centers
• $455 million for renovations to medical facilities
• $2.1 billion for repairs to military facilities
• $1.2 billion for new housing construction
• $154 billion to improve troop housing
• $360 million for new child development centers
• $400 million for new construction to support National Guard and Army Reserve units
• $4.5 billion for the Army Corps of Engineers for environmental
restoration, flood protection, hydropower and navigation
infrastructure (the current Corps’ construction backlog is $61 billion)
• $300 million to clean up closed military installations
The Veterans Affairs Department would be about $1 billion for:
• $950 million for medicalfacilities (there is currently a $5 billion maintenance backlog at the agency’s 153 facilities)
• $50 million to make monument and memorial repairs at veterans cemeteries
The proposal would also provide :
• $141.6 billion for education programs
• $124.1 billion for health care programs
• $102 billion in assistance to workers for job training and unemployment benefits
• $90 billion for transportation infrastructure
• $87 billion to help states with Medicaid costs
• $54 billion in energy spending
• $16 billion for science and technology related programs
• $4 billion for state and local law enforcement funding
The Republican reaction was tepid and questioned how much
input the GOP would have, testing President-elect Obama’s
vow to have a bipartisan process. They complained the package contained too much spending and had reservations about whether some spending
would do anything to improve the economy, point out some allocations such as $50 million for the National Endowment for the Arts.
In addition to a cautious Republican attitude, moderate and conservative Democrats who make up the 51-member House Blue Dog Coalition have
warned that some in their ranks may not vote for the current version of the bill unless they get assurances that the new administration will take steps to
address the rising debt and longterm fiscal challenges.
In addition to working through differences between House Democrats and Republicans, the House will need to work through differences with the Senate’s version of the legislation. The Senate has not released
an outline of their proposal, S1, but a Senate source did confirm that their version will include provisions to national security. New Senate Appropriations
Chairman Daniel K. Inouye (D-HI) plans to hold a markup session for the stimulus bill on January 22 with a draft ready for January 23.