Rendell: Stimulus aid will help states

WASHINGTON, Feb. 21 (UPI) -- Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell, chairman of the National Governors Association, said Saturday the federal stimulus bill is a "tremendous help" to the states.

Rendell promised governors will be "good stewards" of the billions of dollars going to the states, The Miami Herald reported.

"We understand our obligation and all of us, whether we supported the bill wholeheartedly or whether we had questions about the bill, all of us intend to be good stewards of the money that we spend with this bill," Rendell said. "All of us intend to do it in an effective and efficient way."

Rendell said the stimulus money will not solve all of the states' budget problems. Pennsylvania cut its budget by $1 billion, although it expects to get $5 billion from the bill.

A few Republican governors have said they might not accept the money, but most governors supported the bill.

The association is holding its winter meeting in Washington. The schedule includes a White House dinner Saturday with President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama, and a meeting Monday with the president and Vice President Joe Biden.