Congress passed a bill meant to help state budgets and spare jobs, but Georgians might not agree on when to spend it.

House leaders called Congress back to Washington to vote on an additional 26-billion dollars in stimulus funding. Proponents say the money will save teachers jobs and give states additional Medicaid funding.

Georgia would get around 312-million dollars. Governor Sonny Perdue says he would like to save the money for the next budget year when stimulus funding ends. However, the Georgia Association of Educators Marcus Down says the money is needed now.

“We can’t in our good consciousness ask the people to wait until next year for employment and we can’t ask children to wait until next year for better learning opportunities.”

Down says nearly 45-hundred jobs will be saved. Perdue was one of 47 governors that asked Congress to pass the bill.

Tags: arra, HR 1586, stimulus fundlng. teacher jobs, Georgia federal money