Georgia could receive billions of dollars from the federal government under President Obama’s proposed budget.

Under the budget blueprint, Georgia would receive $1.8 billion for education and $1.7 billion for infrastructure projects.

The new money would come as the state is facing a $1.5 billion budget shortfall.

Republican State Senator Jack Hill says federal dollars would help.

“Well, we certainly need them. And the housing and the K-12 education and the transportation funds…they’re badly needed as well. Unfortunately or fortunately, we are heavily dependent on the federal government as all other states are.”

Still, many Republican lawmakers have criticized President Obama’s proposed budget as reckless. It would bring the federal deficit to 1.75 trillion dollars. Adjusted for inflation, it’s as large as the nation’s deficit in 1942, during the Great Depression.

Tags: Georgia, federal government, state budget, obama, Senator Jack Hill