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Building Contractors - Make Your Voices Heard LastÌýweek the House Appropriations Committee and House Ways and Means Committee approved their portions of the $825 billion economic recovery bill, clearing the measure for full House consideration.Ìý The full House is expected toÌývote on final passageÌýtomorrow (Jan. 28). The Senate Finance CommitteeÌýand Senate Appropriations CommitteeÌýboth released details of theirÌýrespective stimulus packagesÌýlate last week.ÌýÌýBoth committees heldÌýhearings onÌýtheir packages today, and the Senate is looking forÌýpossibleÌýfloor consideration of the complete stimulus package next week.ÌýÌýBoth the House and Senate are working to complete the legislationÌýand sendÌýit to President Obama by February 13, 2009. What's inÌýtheÌýStimulus Package for Building Contractors? ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈÌýhas preparedÌýsummary chartsÌýof the Ìý(HouseÌýonly) and in the current economic stimulus proposals. Out of the nearly $150 billion for infrastructure that ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ has identified in the House legislation, more than $54 billion is for building infrastructure.Ìý This includes funding forÌýthe U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), military construction, Veterans Affairs, school construction (K-12 and higher education), housing facilities, and other building facilities such as community health centers and public lands and parks. The tax proposalsÌýinclude numerous provisions that would beÌýbeneficial to building contractors.ÌýÌýIn both the House and Senate proposals these include: bonus depreciation, 5-year carry-back of net operating losses, and extension of increased small business expensing.ÌýÌýAlso, the House proposal includes a permanent repeal of the 3% withholding tax on government contractors, while the Senate proposal includes a one-year deferral of the 3% withholding until 2012.ÌýÌýÌý How Can Building Contractors Make Their Voices Heard? Click Ìýto write your member of Congress today and ask him/herÌýto supportÌýinfrastructure investment in theÌýeconomic stimulusÌýpackage. Go to toÌýsign ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ's petition to show your support of the economic stimulus package.ÌýÌýTo date, ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ has generated over 11,000 letters and petitioners. Be informed!Ìý Check out ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ'sÌýrecently updatedÌýweb page -Ìý.Ìý Here you will find information about how to get involved,ÌýviewÌýrecent news from ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ and media outreach initiatives, andÌýhave access to ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ's letters to Congress and testimony aimed at educating Congress on the need for infrastructure funding to stimulate the economy and create jobs.Ìý Visit the website . Get your colleagues, employees, subcontractors, and suppliers involved in these grassroots efforts!