ACEC President Warns: Stimulus Funds Should Go to Private Economy, Not Government Growth.

WASHINGTON -- Writing on the National Journal's Transportation Experts Blog, ACEC President David A. Raymond argued strongly today for a "critical amendment" to the $825 billion House stimulus bill to "make sure that stimulus funds for infrastructure are invested in the private economy rather than in the growth of government."

"A great risk of the current bill is that recovery money could be used to hire more government employees at just the time when stimulating the private economy is our greatest concern," said Raymond.

"Private engineers and contractors have traditionally been the engines of successful project delivery and economic growth, so let's put the money where it will do the most good," he said.

The National Journal's Transportation Experts Blog includes Congressmen, Senators, Governors, educators, state transportation officials, and other experts.

The American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) is the business association of America's engineering industry, representing approximately 5,700 independent engineering companies throughout the United States engaged in the development of America's transportation, environmental, industrial, and other infrastructure. Founded in 1909 and headquartered in Washington, D.C., ACEC is a national federation of 51 state and regional organizations.