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Labor unions, including the National Association of Manufacturers, matched the sentiments of business executives and both political parties, as diverse interests combined forces Wednesday to lobby for a multibillion dollar initiative aimed at strengthening infrastructure. The plan involves federal spending on roads, bridges, waterways, airports, railways, schools and green technology in an effort to boost the economy, and was discussed during a House hearing of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Supporters are pushing for the initiative to start this year (prior to the Presidential inauguration in January) and maintain that worries over the federal budget deficit should take a back seat to the economy. The group argued that spending on public works would help smaller businesses and consumers (in contrast to the $700 billion bank bailout), and cited current deteriorating infrastructure and job loss in the construction sector as further support. The initiative faces opposition by some who claim projects of this sort take too long to arrange, and thus won't create jobs anytime soon.