But the money has broughtintotheopen simmering disputes about the merits of the project, how properly to measure them and what happens when the money runs out.
In 2002, Mr Bush's own Treasury prepared a memo on the subject, recently broughtintotheopen by Ron Suskind, the author of a book about Mr Bush's first treasury secretary, Paul O'Neill.
Obviously from a personal point of view I appreciate the fact that the debate about the causes of dvt has been broughtintotheopen but I for one do not blame the airlines for my condition.