Tech Programs Survive Vitter Hatchet

Sen. David Vitter (R-LA) unsuccessfully offered an amendment Wednesday evening to strip from the economic stimulus package a multi-billion section that would fund programs intended to spur the nationwide adoption of electronic medical records. His proposal, which failed 32-65, would have also nixed funding for other high-tech provisions including: National Institute of Standards and Technology construction ($357 million); Defense Department hybrid vehicle purchases ($100 million); NASA climate change research ($500 million); and Broadband investments and deployment ($9 billion)