Thursday, March 28, AD 2024 11:23am

Viewing the Stimulus Package, Part A

I decided to find out for myself what is in the Stimulus Package being debated. The version I’ve looked at is the version the House passed, and I can’t image the Senate version looks much better. Here is the results of Division A (the first 250 pages or so).

Things this package will not be used for: casinos and other gambling establishments, aquariums, zoos, golf courses, or swimming pools; any public work (airports, bridges, canals, dams, dikes, pipelines, railroads, mass transit, roads, etc) that does not purchase all iron and steel from within the U.S. (unless there simply isn’t enough iron available, or buying locally increases cost by 25% or more, or it is “in the best interest of the public” to buy abroad).

The stimulus package includes:

Title I: General Provisions (Total: $247.5 million)

$208.5 million for Inspector General Oversight (IMO this should be a normal budgetary concern)

$25 million for Government Accountability Office—Salaries and Expenses

$14 million for a new Oversight Board to ensure the funds are managed properly

Title II: Agriculture, Nutrition, and Rural Development (Total: $35.540 billion)

$44 million for Agricultural Buildings and Facilities and Rental Payments

$209 million for maintenance on Agricultural research facilities

$245 million for salaries and expenses of Farm Service Agents

$350 million for Watershed and Flood Prevention

$50 million for Watershed Rehabilitation

$5.838 billion for loans for Rural Development

$1.8 billion for direct loans, specifically for rural community facilities, business and industry guaranteed loans and grants, rural water and waste disposal loans and grants

$22.129 billion for loans and rural housing insurance funds

$500 million for additional loans and cost of modifying loans

$2.825 billion for distance learning, telemedicine, and broadband

$100 million for supplemental nutrition program

$150 million for emergency food assistance

$300 million for administrative expenses

Title III: Commerce, Justice, and Science (Total: $14.175 billion)

$250 million for Economic Development and Assistance Programs

$1 billion for periodic census programs

$350 million for salaries and expenses for the national telecommunications and information administration, provided it goes to establish a State Broadband and Data Development Grant Program

$2.825 billion for related expenses to the establishment of the Wireless Broadband Deployment Grant Program

$650 million for digital to analogue converter boxes

$100 million for Science and Technical Research and Services

$100 million for Industrial Technology Services

$300 million for construction of research facilities

$400 million for habitat restoration and migration activities (for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)

$600 million for satellite development, acquiring climate sensors, climate modeling capacity, and climate data records

$3 billion to go to the Edward Bryne Memorial Justice Grant Program for state and local law enforcement

$1 billion for community-oriented policing services

$400 million for additional science, of which $250 million goes to climate research

$150 million for aeronautics

$50 million for cross agency support programs

$2.5 billion to go to the National Science Foundation

$100 million for education and Human Resources

$400 million for research equipment

Title IV: Defense (Total: $4.85 billion)

$4.5 billion for defense facilities

$350 million for defense related energy research

Title V: Energy and Water (Total: $48.9 billion)

$2 billion for construction under the Department of the Army Corps of Civil Engineers

$250 million for Mississippi River and tributaries

$2.225 billion for operation and maintenance of the Corps of Engineers

$25 million for a regulatory program

$500 million for Department of the Interior Bureau of Reclamation, water and related sources

$18.5 billion for energy efficiency and renewable energy

$4.5 billion for electricity delivery and energy efficiency

$1 billion for Advanced Battery Loan Guarantee Program

$500 million for Institutional Loan Guarantee Program

$8 billion for Innovative Technology Loan Guarantee Program

$2.4 billion to demonstrate carbon capture and sequestration

$2 billion for additional science

$500 million for Defense environmental cleanup

$3.25 billion in loans to Western Area Power Administration

$3.25 billion in loans to Bonneville Power Administration

Title VI: Financial Services and General Government (Total: $9 billion)

$7.7 billion for Federal Buildings Fund

$600 million for acquisition of alternative fuel vehicles

$426 million for small business loans

$4 million to oversee small business loans

Additional costs here come from the establishment of small business agencies to monitor loans and whatnot, as well as amending previous statutes. The cost here I have no idea.

Title VII: Homeland Security (Total: $1.1 billion)

$100 million for non-intrusive detection technology at sea ports

$150 million for repair and construction of inspection facilities at seaports

$500 million for technology to detect explosives for aviation security

$150 million to the Coast Guard for removal or alteration of obstructive bridges

$200 million to the Federal Emergency Management Agency Emergency Food and Shelter

Other indirect costs through mandated studies, etc…

Title VIII: Interior and Environment (Total: $14.975 billion)

$325 million to the Bureau of Land Management for roads, bridges, and trail repairs

$300 million to Fish and Wildlife for roads, bridges, hatcheries, etc.

$1.7 billion to the National Park System for roads, bridges, trails, and critical infrastructure

$200 million to the National Mall in Washington, DC for repairs and improvements

$100 million to the National Park Service Centennial Challenge

$200 million to the United States Geological Survey for repairs and improvements

$500 million to the Bureau of Indian Affairs for roads, bridges, schools, detention centers, etc

$800 million to the Environmental Protection Agency for a hazardous substance superfund

$200 million to clean up leaking underground storage tanks

$8.4 billion to the State and Tribal Assistance Grants

$650 million to Department of Agriculture Forest Service for roads, bridges, trails, etc.

$850 million Wildland Fire Management

$550 million for Indian Health Service facilities

$150 million for the repair and revitalization of the Smithsonian Institution

$50 million for grants to the National Endowment for the Arts

Title IX: Labor, Health, and Human Services, and Education (Total: $90.867 billion)

$4 billion to the Employment Training Administration

$120 million for community service employment for the elderly

$500 million in grants to state unemployment trust funds

$80 million to the enforcement of worker protection laws, regulations, oversight, etc.

$300 million to the Office of Job Corps for construction or rehabilitation of centers

$2.188 billion to Health Resources and Services

$462 million for facilities for Centers of Disease Control and Prevention

$1.5 billion for renovations of non-Federal institutes of health

$1.5 billion to the Office of Direction (for NIH, I guess)

$500 million for repairs to NIH facilities

$700 million for comparative drug and medication research

$400 million to supplement the previous line, with some different provisions

$1 billion for low-income home energy assistance

$2 billion for child care and development

$3.2 billion for child and family services

$200 million for Aging Services Programs

$2 billion to Office of the Nation Coordinator for Health Information Technology

$430 million for advanced research for the Public Health and Services Emergency Fund

$420 million for prevention of an influenza epidemic

$50 million for special report from the Secretary of the Emergency Fund

$3 billion for a Prevention and Wellness Fund, much of it to go to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

$13 billion for Education for the Disadvantaged

$100 million for impact aid to elementary and secondary schools

$1.066 billion to school improvement programs

$225 million for innovation and improvement of elementary and secondary schools

$13.6 billion for special eduction

$700 million for rehabilitation services and disability research

$16.126 billion for student financial assistance

$50 million to the student aid administration

$100 million to higher education

$250 million to the Institute of Education Sciences for statewide data systems

$14 billion for school modernization and repair

$6 billion for higher education modernization and repair

$160 million to expand AmeriCorps grants

$40 million to the National Service Trust

$900 million to the Social Security Administration for limitation of administration expenses (???)

Plus the establishment of more governmental agencies and oversight, funding not listed

Title X: Military Construction and Veteran Affairs (Total: $7 billion)

$920 million to Army construction

$350 million to Navy and Marines construction

$280 million to Air Force construction

$3.75 billion to general defense-wide construction

$140 million to Army National Guard construction

$70 million to Air National Guard construction

$100 million to Army Reserve construction

$30 million to Navy Reserve construction

$60 million to Air Force Reserve construction

$300 million to a DoD account

$950 million for medical facilities for Veterans Health Administration

$50 million to the National Cemetery Administration for monument and memorial repairs

Title XI: Department of State (Total: $500 million)

$276 million to Administration of Foreign Affairs Capital Investment Fund

$224 million to the International Boundary and Water Commission for construction

Title XII: Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development (Total: $59.4 billion)

$3 billion for grants in aid for airports

$30 billion for the Federal Highway Administration for infrastructure investment

$300 million to the Federal Railroad Administration for capital assistance for passenger services

$800 million to Amtrak for repair and upgrades

$6 billion to the Federal Transit Administration for transit capital assistance

$2 billion for a fixed guideway infrastructure investment

$1 billion for the Secretary of Transportation to make discretionary grants

$5 billion for the Public Housing Capital Fund

$2.5 billion for to accomplish energy retrofitting for the elderly, disabled, and assisted living

$500 million for Native American Housing Block Grants

$1 billion for community planning and development

$4.19 billion for neighborhood stabilization programs, i.e. energy assistance for foreclosed homes

$1.5 billion to the Home Investment Partnerships Program

$10 million to the Self-Help and Assisted Homeownership Opportunity Program

$1.5 billion for emergency shelters for the homeless

$100 million for home lead hazard reductions

Title XIII: State Fiscal Stabilization Fund (Total: $79 billion)

$79 billion to the Department of Education State Fiscal Stabilization Fund

Note: none of this assistance is to be used to fund students going to private elementary or secondary schools.

Total for Division A: $365.5545 billion

UPDATE: The second half of the bill makes provisions that do not come with precise dollar amounts (at least, not listed in the bill).  The tax code is tweaked, limitations are extended, dates are renewed; phrases in various paragraphs of subsections of laws are rewritten; extensions of existed programs are listed; and on and on.  The sheer amount of referencing back and forth could keep a panel of experts occupied for hours, if not days.  I think the message is: anything could be in this bill, and the only one who will know is the one who originally wrote it in.  Check out analysis at ReadTheStimulus.org.

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Matt McDonald
Matt McDonald
Friday, February 6, AD 2009 1:24pm

I love this last note:

none of this assistance is to be used to fund students going to private elementary or secondary schools.

Why should the government help lower income students to succeed by going to private schools, let them pay for it all out of pocket like the rich do!

Zach
Friday, February 6, AD 2009 3:58pm

I find it simultaneously hilarious and deeply saddening that the government is spending $650 million dollars on analog-to-digital converters for televisions.

Jeremy
Jeremy
Friday, February 6, AD 2009 4:14pm

Zach: The $650 million is much less than the proceeds that the govt is getting for selling the analog spectrum that is being freed up.

Matt McDonald
Matt McDonald
Friday, February 6, AD 2009 5:10pm

Jeremy correct, I’m still not sure it means that it should send it to people as it is. Anyway, it is most certainly not “stimulus”.

Dallas Carter
Saturday, February 7, AD 2009 12:17am

$14 billion for school modernization and repair – – Not sure if you are aware, but this $14 billion comes with the caveat that any school using these funds are PROHIBITED from allowing religious/pray gatherings at any of their school facilities. i.e. Bible studies and Christian Clubs would most likely be dissolved at those schools.

ACLU couldnt resist getting their two cents in

Tito Edwards
Saturday, February 7, AD 2009 12:56am

Dallas,

Just viewed your blog and I’m impressed.

I grew up on Kauai and I’m a 1984 graduate of St. Theresa School in Kekaha (http://custosfidei.blogspot.com/2007/08/st-theresa-church-in-kekaha-hawaii.html).

I noticed you and your group went on a retreat to our rival parish, Holy Cross in Kalaheo. They used to have a school there. I pray someday that they will start up the school again. It’s pretty lonely on the westside being the only Catholic school.

Keep up your great apostolate!

In Jesus, Mary, & Joseph,

Tito

trackback
Tuesday, February 10, AD 2009 11:19am

[…] stimulus package is not going to work.  All the money earmarked, which I detailed in my  previous post, is not really geared towards helping the economy as a whole.  If you study it closely, […]

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