Federal Numbers Show Leaders—and Laggards—in Committing Stimulus Dollars

Our Stimulus Progress Bar, updated today, shows that the federal government has now paid out nearly $94 billion in grants and projects. Combined with some $63 billion in tax cuts, that makes for $157 billion in stimulus out the door. But as we’ve noted before, federal agencies continue to vary widely in the rate at which they spend stimulus dollars.  

That’s true in the most direct sense—the percentage of their stimulus dollars that agencies have actually spent. But it’s also true in terms of how much of its money each agency has committed to a specific project, which is the step before cutting a check.

The departments of State, Agriculture and Energy have each committed less than a quarter of their stimulus money, seven months after the Recovery Act was passed. By comparison, the Department of Housing and Urban Development has committed over 70 percent of its stimulus dollars; and the Department of Justice, 91 percent.

Is the difference a function of the agencies’ different mandates, or varying levels of administrative prowess? We’re looking into it.

Check it all out at our Stimulus Progress Bar.