$7.2 Billion Broadband Stimulus Almost Finalized > House of Reps passes stimulus bill; Senate later today

The House on Friday voted 246-183 to approve a compromise version of the estimated US$787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. All 176 Republicans present voted against the bill.

The Senate is expected to vote on the bill late Friday. U.S. President Barack Obama has said he will sign the legislation.

The bill includes $7.2 billion to help deploy broadband in rural and other unserved areas, $17 billion for incentives for health care providers to adopt electronic health records, and $11 billion to update the nation's electricity grid by hooking it up to the Internet.