As Washington considers a nearly $1 trillion economic stimulus bill to combat an increasing recession, with billions going to public works projects, governments worldwide will, at the same time, spend as much as $1.5 trillion annually for the next 20 years to make up for a lack of similar spending on infrastructure in years past.

Most public transit systems throughout the country, even in cities that approved funding increases during the last election, are facing substantial budget shortfalls.

Like so many other transit agencies around the country, the nation’s largest transit authority - New York City - is in the midst of a severe budget crisis and is facing a $1.2 billion deficit.

As Americans have slashed consumer spending, congressional Democrats want to buy American with stimulus spending.