The division of labor in Washington is interesting. Staffers on Capitol Hill must be relieved that the economic stimulus bill has passed through Congress; at federal agencies, though, the work is just beginning. (Today is a well-timed federal holiday — a bit of calm before the storm!)
There’s an interesting article in the New York Times about state and local governments scrambling to compete for stimulus cash. This is, after all, the largest infrastructure investment in generations. Several states said they have dozens of projects ready to start within six months — including at least 5,000 transportation projects.
All of this will present a huge challenge for the feds required to monitor these projects and keep track of how many jobs they’re creating.