Shuler, Price spar over stimulus

There was a sharp disagreement over the stimulus package this morning, with U.S. Rep. David Price defending the House package, and Rep. Health Shuler criticizing it.

At the Emerging Issues Forum, Shuler said he was one of the few Democrats to vote against the package because it didn't include enough money for public works projects, and included too much money for projects favored by influential members of Congress, Rob Christensen reports.

"It's not stimulative enough for me," Shuler, a second-term lawmaker from Bryson City, said during a panel discussion in front of more than 1,000 people at Raleigh's Convention Center.

He said that less than 15 percent of the $800 billion stimulus package is devoted to infrastructure. Shuler said too much money will be used to just plug budget gaps in existing programs or for tax cuts.

But Price, who is one of the so-called cardinals of the House budget committee, said his portion of the stimilus package dealing with homeland security was closely "scrubbed" for waste.

More after the jump.

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"He seems to be saying its not big enough," Price said. "Most of the opponents say this is too big a bill. Some are arguing that all ought to be tax cuts."

Price, a Chapel Hill Democrat, also said there is far more money for public works projects in the stimulus bill than people realize and that the measure is needed to help an ailing economy.

He is expected to be one of the House-Senate negotiators that help work out a final bill. He said the package was a good mix of tax cuts, aid to states, and new public works projects.

Rep. G.K. Butterfield of Wilson, also supported the package, saying it was particularly needed to build roads, schools and provide water and sewers projects in the rural parts of the state.

"The towns don't have the resources to do it it," Butterfield said. "If the federal government does not to it, it will not happen."

U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx was slated to appear at the event, but had to cancel at the last minute.