U.S. Sen. Daniel K. Inouye said today that he is satisfied by the way the state has made use of federal stimulus money so far and hopes the money can help spur economic recovery.

Hawaii expects to receive $1.4 billion in federal stimulus money approved by Congress and President Obama to help states get through the recession.
"I leave this place 'up,'" said Inouye, D-Hawaii, after a hearing of his U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee at the state Capitol. "I feel good. I feel assured that we're going to come out of this with flying colors."
Gov. Linda Lingle told the committee the state has been awarded more than $600 million in federal stimulus money so far. The state has committed more than a third of the money to various projects.
Lingle said it has been difficult to track the federal money since not all of it moves through the governor's office.
But the governor said the federal money can be used with the administration's own economic recovery plan to "re-establish the conditions for growth."
Along with the governor, state Senate President Colleen Hanabusa, D-21st (Nänäkuli, Mäkaha), Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann, and several other state and local officials testified.