$819 Billion Economic Recovery Plan Passes In House

By a vote of 244-188, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Provisions of the bill include:

• $19 billion in water infrastructure projects;
• $13 billion to repair and make more energy-efficient public housing projects; and
• The extension and increase of tax credits to homeowners who make their homes more energy efficient, at a cost of $4.3 billion. (Homeowners could receive tax credits of up to $1,500 for upgrading furnaces, water heaters and making other improvements through 2010.)

The bill was presented to the Senate Jan. 29.