Lawmakers debate stimulus bill

WASHINGTON, Dec. 24 (UPI) -- A debate is brewing in Washington over how green the next economic stimulus package should be, with some saying traditional jobs are more important.

Work on the nation's roads and bridges that President-elect Barack Obama calls "shovel-ready projects," would create more union jobs and a quicker boost to the economy than money spent on solar and wind power projects, The Washington Post reported Wednesday.

"If we're going to call it a stimulus package, it has to be stimulating and has to be stimulating now. I think there are members of our caucus who are trying to create a Christmas tree out of this," said Rep. Baron P. Hill, D-Ind.

An early draft of a stimulus bill, which could cost $850 billion, includes about $200 billion in middle-income tax cuts, $200 billion for Medicaid and education and about $350 billion for infrastructure, renewable energy tax credits and increased spending on social programs, such as food stamps, the Post said.

Vice President-elect Joe Biden said the package wouldn't be a wide-open opportunity for idealistic add-ons. "We've let our infrastructure crumble for a long, long time," he told the Post. "It makes sense to invest ... now."