Many States Happy With First Draft of Stimulus Package

The first draft of the house stimulus package has been released. This piece from Stateline looks at its major components.

1 minute read

January 18, 2009, 7:00 AM PST

By Nate Berg


"House Democrats Jan. 15 released details of their version of a plan containing $550 billion in spending and $275 billion in tax cuts that they say will help pull the country out of a financial freefall compared by some experts to the Great Depression."

"Crucial to states, the two-year package includes $87 billion to help pay for Medicaid, the joint federal-state program that costs $330 billion annually and serves 59 million needy Americans, and at least $100 billion for infrastructure spending - two top priorities of many governors and state legislators."

"Here's a breakdown of the key components of the House proposal important to states:

* $43 billion for increased unemployment benefits

* $20 billion to increase the food stamp benefit

* $30 billion for highway construction

* $19 billion for clean water, flood control and environmental cleanup programs

* $4 billion for state and local anti-crime initiatives, including $3 billion for the Byrne Justice Assistance, which pays for programs to battle drug trafficking"

Friday, January 16, 2009 in Stateline

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