Road signs announcing that particular construction projects are sponsored by stimulus dollars may soon be coming down, if one GOP lawmaker gets his way.
Rep. Aaron Schock (R-Ill.), who once blasted the signs as "propaganda," recently proposed H.R. 389, a measure that would forbid federal dollars from going to fund the markers, which often read "Project Funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act" (ARRA) or "Putting America to Work."
The Hill reports on the history of the placards:
Originally, the use of signs calling attention to ARRA projects was required, but later signs were just encouraged by the Obama administration. Guidance from the Office of Management and Budget from last year says signage promotes "openness and transparency," but also says it is "important that costs associated with signage are reasonable and limited." Thus, it says, ARRA-funded projects "should display signage," but "exclusions may apply."
Schock's first iteration of this proposal, introduced last year, claimed, "reports indicate that potentially tens of millions of dollars have been spent" on the signs.
Jill Zuckman of the Department of Transportation, however, told ABC News that $5 million, or .02 percent of overall project spending, was a better estimate.
Eddie Vale, spokesman for the labor union federation AFL-CIO, also declared at the time that the markers contributed to job creation.
"Where do they think the signs come from?" said according to CBS News. "There isn't a magical road sign unicorn that brings them... they're manufactured -- i.e., building and placing the signs ALSO create jobs."