LaHood goes to bat for stimulus

LaHood goes to bat for stimulus Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood told CNN he planned to lobby his former colleagues on Capitol Hill to persuade them that the $830 billion stimulus bill backed by President Barack Obama will actually put people to work.
   The stimulus bill includes about $45 billion in transportation spending.
   LaHood, a former congressman from Illinois, said he invited state transportation directors to Washington on Wednesday to discuss how to create jobs with funds from the stimulus bill.
   “There aren’t going to be any boondoggles. This money will be spent correctly, by the book, with no shortcuts,” LaHood said.
   The Congressional Budget Office said last week that the spending plan is likely to create 1.3 million to 3.9 million new jobs by the end of 2010.
   The legislation still faces unified opposition by the Republican minority despite the participation of moderate Republicans in crafting a Senate compromise on Friday. Republicans want a smaller spending component and larger tax cuts.