TSRT Blog: U.S. Senate Approves Stimulus Plan

U.S. Senate Approves Stimulus Plan

Today the U.S. Senate voted 61-37 to approve their version of the Economic Recovery Legislation. Included in the bill is $45.5 billion for transportation and other infrastructure development.

The Senate and House versions will now have to be reconciled in order to develop a final version to be sent to President Obama for approval.

Transportation infrastructure funding will be sent to the state departments of transportation for distribution to counties and municipalities for specific construction projects.

Here are the differences between the Senate and House versions according to the Associate Press.

Senate Version		House Version
Infrastructure		Infrastructure
$46 B for transportation projects, including:		$47 B for transportation projects, including:
27 B for highway and bridge construction and repair		27 B for highway and bridge construction and repair
11.5 B for mass transit and rail projects		12 B for mass transit, including:
$4.6 B for the Army Corps of Engineers		7.5 B to buy transit equipment such as buses
$5 B for public housing improvements		$31 B to build and repair federal buildings and other public infrastructure
$6.4 B for clean and drinking water projects		$12.4 B in rail and mass transit projects
Bonds		Bonds
$22.8 B to subsidize locally issued bonds for school construction, industrial development and infrastructure improvements		$36 B to subsidize locally issued bonds for school construction, teacher training, economic development and infrastructure improvements