The CBO just came out with a report about the Senate Stimulus plan and it shows that 78% of the $884 billion will be spent during the first 18 months.
http://cbo.gov/
http://cbo.gov/...
The Obama administration vowed that they wanted at least 75% of the money spent from a stimulus package should be spent within the first 18 months.
The House version of the bill was found by the CBO to spend out 64% of the money in the first 18 months. As a result, GOP put out the talking point that not enough of the stimulus package would be spent quickly enough.
Now the CBO has looked at the Senate version and they have found that $694 billion of the $884 billion will be spent out in the first 18 months after it is enacted. This results in 78% of the money being spent which is better than House version of the bill.
Expect this information to be a talking point by the administration over the next few weeks as the Senate debates the bill.
I personally was VERY ENCOURAGED by all the Senate Republicans saying that they wanted more infrastructure spending in the stimulus package. I felt it was just too little so that is very encouraging. I also felt that the tax credit for new homeowners of $10,000-$15,000 when buying a new home was also encouraging.
Slowly but surely the Senate bill will get better and better.
Expect some of the "controversial" spending programs to be removed ie Smoking cessation education, STD prevention education, etc. Although worthwhile, they will be placed in other spending bills and not this one. Expect MORE infrastructure spending to be inserted possibly as high as another $30 billion. Expect some help for homeowners to be inserted as well. Expect more emphasis to be on creating JOBS JOBS JOBS.