States across the country are moving rapidly to start turning their shares of newly approved economic stimulus money into construction contracts. States are in line to receive about $40 billion of the stimulus measure’s estimated $130 billion in construction-related funds. That state funding includes $26.8 billion for highways, $7.4 billion for transit, $3.9 billion for clean water state revolving funds, about $2 billion for drinking-water SRFs and $3.1 billion for state energy programs. Most of those funds will be distributed among states according to existing formulas. President Obama calls on governors to promote transparency when bidding work funded by the

The waiting went on and on as anxious construction industry and state officials watched for months for glimmers of progress in Washington on a bill that they hoped would ease the recession’s tightening grip. On Feb. 17, the long wait ended as President Obama traveled to Denver and signed what he called "the most sweeping economic recovery package in our history," the $787.2-billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Photo: AP/Wideworld Obama at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science with its solar energy. Related Links: View ENR.com Coverage of Economic Stimulus View Complete Economic Stimulus Special Section AP/Wideworld Obama signs the

A $787-billion economic stimulus package is heading to the White House for President Barack Obama’s signature following final congressional approval of the huge package of federal spending and tax breaks. The bill includes an estimated $130 billion in spending for construction programs as well as tax incentives that also will give the industry a boost. High-speed rail systems were surprise winners in final stimulus bill. Related Links: State by State Project Data Video: The Stimulus Highways and Bridges By State One surprise winner in what Congress approved is high-speed rail, which received $9.3 billion in funding. A big loser was

A mammoth economic-stimulus measure has advanced on its long, winding path through Congress, with the Senate’s approval on Feb. 10 of a $838.2-billion package that was pared back from an earlier version. The cuts that were needed to win enough votes to pass the bill included about $27 billion in construction funds. That left the final Senate bill with about $133 billion for construction programs, compared with about $160 billion in the bill as it cleared committee. The major construction casualty came in school-construction aid, where lawmakers deleted all $19.5 billion the original bill had recommended for K-12 and college

Congressional negotiators have struck a deal on a compromise, $787-billion economic-stimulus bill, said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.). The measure is smaller than the $819.5-billion package that the House approved on Jan. 28 and the $838-billion measure that the Senate passed Feb. 10. Sen. Collins opposed precedent of funding school construction. Reid said at a Feb. 11 afternoon press conference in the Capitol that differences between the house and senate bills were "resolved." He added, "The bills were really quite similar. And I'm pleased to announce we've been able to bridge those differences." Technically, the deal is not yet

The Senate has approved an $838.2-billion economic stimulus bill by a 61-37 vote. The margin was slightly higher than the 60-vote minimum needed for approval, as Republicans Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe, both of Maine, and Pennsylvania's Arlen Specter, joined all 58 Democrats to vote for the bill. The Senate package now must be reconciled with the estimated $819.5-billion stimulus measure that the House passed on Jan. 28. The House bill has about $160 billion for construction programs and the Senate's contains about $130 billion. Shortly after the vote the Senate quickly named its representatives to the conference with the

To win over a few key Republican votes, a small group of Senators has recommended about $108 billion in cuts from an economic stimulus package that had grown to more than $900 billion. The major construction program casualty is the original Senate stimulus bill's $19.5 billion for school construction funding, which the team of lawmakers deleted. In all, a team led by Sens. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) trimmed $108 billion from the bill as it was introduced earlier. Cuts in spending accounted for $83 billion of the reductions and $25 billion came from cuts in tax incentives.

Capitol Hill action on an economic stimulus bill has shifted to the Senate floor, where on Feb. 2 debate began on an $884.5-billion package of spending and tax breaks. The measure’s estimated $160 billion in construction-related spending appears safe, and Senate infrastructure advocates are trying to boost that total higher. But they probably will need to propose offsetting spending cuts to win approval for any increases. Related Links: New Stimulus Bills Are Really More Hurt Than Help Sources: House, Senate Appropriations Committees, Congressional Budget Office, ENR *Construction funding estimated The first key floor vote, on Feb. 3, didn’t go well

Capitol Hill action on an economic stimulus bill has shifted to the Senate, which has begun to debate a package estimated at $888 billion. At least several days of discussion and amendments are expected. It appears that the Senate package's estimated $160 billion in construction-related spending is safe and that Democrats may seek to add more money for such infrastructure accounts as highways and Corps of Engineers water projects. Photo: AP Sen. Barbara Boxer favors increasing highway component of stimulus. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee leaders have stated that they favor tripling the $27-billion highway allocation that the proposal

The Senate has moved quickly, in most cases, to approve President Barack Obama’s nominees to Cabinet posts, including his choices to lead departments that oversee major construction programs, such as transportation and energy. Industry officials now will focus on whom Obama will pick for sub-Cabinet positions, including deputy and assistant secretaries. Photo: AP/Wideworld Confirmation has come quickly for most nominees. Among a group of nominees confirmed on Jan. 22 was former Illinois congressman Ray LaHood, a Republican, as transportation secretary. LaHood was approved the day after his confirmation hearing before the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee. During the hearing, LaHood