Idaho may get more than $1B in stimulus

BOISE, Idaho (AP) _ A federal stimulus package passed by the U.S. House could bring more than $1 billion to Idaho.

According to numbers from the research group Federal Funds Information for States, a service of the National Governors Association and the National Conference of State Legislatures, the money would include $300 million for Medicaid, nearly $220 million for infrastructure and nearly $5 million for homelessness prevention.

Public Schools Chief Tom Luna says a total of $346 million would go to education over the next two years.

But some leaders say it's not clear how much of that money Idaho will actually use.

John Foster, spokesman for U.S. Congressman Walt Minnick, said he hasn't had enough time to determine just how much benefit the bill could bring to Idaho. Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter's spokesman John Hanian echoed those concerns, saying the governor had not yet been briefed on the package.

All of Idaho's Congressional delegation voted against the bill.