Since the House version of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act was unveiled last week, there has been a flood of reaction and President Obama has had meetings with congressional leaders to try to gain support. Here is a sampling of some of the important activities that directly impact how water infrastructure funding will factor in to the stimulus package:

• Despite news accounts that less than half the money for infrastructure projects will be spent within the next 2 years, the Congressional Budget Office has yet to issue its report. What it has done is used part of an earlier version of the stimulus plan and extrapolated the numbers, according to the Huffington Post. Dean Baker has more. Click here to read the numbers.

• Almost every professional organization representing the water sector and other infrastructure interests has issued a call for action, urging members to contact their representatives in Congress. For example, see WEF’s Action Alert.

• The House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure held a hearing Thursday to listen to testimony related to concerns with proposed funding levels for water infrastructure projects. Read NACWA President Marian Orfeo's testimony.

• Friday, the Water Infrastructure Network (WIN), a broad coalition of 52 construction, engineering, conservation, labor, municipal and manufacturing organizations, sent a letter to the Environment and Public Works Committee supporting inclusion of $20 million for ready-to-go water infrastructure projects.

It is expected that a Senate version of ARRA will be released this week, and then the work to find common ground in a consensus package will begin. The president and congressional leaders are still determined to get legislation passed by mid-February.