Spending on infrastructure construction seems to be the only aspect of the American Recovery and Reinvestment appropriations which both political parties can agree on. At Wednesday's meeting of the House Appropriations Committee to mark up the bill, Appropriations Chairman David Obey urged the committee to act quickly on the proposals to staunch increasing unemployment, which he says will reach "well into double digits" without quick passage of the stimulus legislation. At the same time ranking member Jerry Lewis put forth Republican objections to certain appropriations, including $50 million for the National Endowment for the Arts, and an additional $650 million to subsidize purchases of digital TV converter boxes.
On the other hand, Lewis complained that the $30 billion appropriation for highway construction was not enough, in light of a backlog of $64.3 billion in shovel ready road projects. Lewis says "infrastructure investments that will create sustainable jobs should be given even greater priority in this package."
The House Ways and Means Committee takes up the tax portion of the stimulus legislation Thursday, and Senate Finance Committee and Appropriations Committee markups are scheduled tentatively for next Tuesday.
House Minority Leader Boehner, Minority Whip Cantor, Ways and Means Ranking Member Camp, and other Republicans wrote to President Obama today complaining they are being squeezed out of the process, and that the rush to pass this stimulus legislation will lead to mistakes. Boehner said "We want to sit down with the president and tell him we are opposed to what the congressional Democrats want to do." Camp proposes delaying the House committee markups until "full hearings" on the stimulus package can be convened.
Meanwhile, in separate Senate action Senator Isakson of Georgia, along with co-sponsors Chambliss and Corker, has introduced S 253, proposing an extension and increase in the homebuyer tax credits through December 31, 2009, increasing the credit to as much as $22,000.00, permitting its use in conjunction with state or local bond mortgage financing, removing the restriction to first time buyers and the repayment requirement, and monetizing the credit so it can be used at closing as all or part of the down payment.
Home building industry lobbyists are pressing for this bill to be incorporated by the Senate into its version of the economic stimulus legislation. They point out that the housing market index fell to a record low of 8 this month, with the western US region falling to a disastrously low level of only 4.
If you have any interest in seeing this legislation get to President Obama's Oval Office desk in time for it to do any good, now is the time to call, write and telegraph your Senators and Congressmen.
On the other hand, Lewis complained that the $30 billion appropriation for highway construction was not enough, in light of a backlog of $64.3 billion in shovel ready road projects. Lewis says "infrastructure investments that will create sustainable jobs should be given even greater priority in this package."
The House Ways and Means Committee takes up the tax portion of the stimulus legislation Thursday, and Senate Finance Committee and Appropriations Committee markups are scheduled tentatively for next Tuesday.
House Minority Leader Boehner, Minority Whip Cantor, Ways and Means Ranking Member Camp, and other Republicans wrote to President Obama today complaining they are being squeezed out of the process, and that the rush to pass this stimulus legislation will lead to mistakes. Boehner said "We want to sit down with the president and tell him we are opposed to what the congressional Democrats want to do." Camp proposes delaying the House committee markups until "full hearings" on the stimulus package can be convened.
Meanwhile, in separate Senate action Senator Isakson of Georgia, along with co-sponsors Chambliss and Corker, has introduced S 253, proposing an extension and increase in the homebuyer tax credits through December 31, 2009, increasing the credit to as much as $22,000.00, permitting its use in conjunction with state or local bond mortgage financing, removing the restriction to first time buyers and the repayment requirement, and monetizing the credit so it can be used at closing as all or part of the down payment.
Home building industry lobbyists are pressing for this bill to be incorporated by the Senate into its version of the economic stimulus legislation. They point out that the housing market index fell to a record low of 8 this month, with the western US region falling to a disastrously low level of only 4.
If you have any interest in seeing this legislation get to President Obama's Oval Office desk in time for it to do any good, now is the time to call, write and telegraph your Senators and Congressmen.
