WASHINGTON - Both of Idaho's congressmen voted against the stimulus package, saying the nation's faltering economy needs help but that it is difficult to justify adding billions of dollars to the federal deficit.

Rep. Walt Minnick, who has aligned himself with the fiscally conservative Blue Dog Democrats since he took office earlier this month, said he has been thinking about how to vote since details of the spending plan first began emerging two weeks ago.

"Economic stimulus, no matter how much you spend, is only going to work if the U.S. banking and financial system is also functioning," Minnick said, adding that until banks are lending money again, it's unrealistic to expect results.

He cited as an example the $40 billion devoted to building roads, bridges and other infrastructure. Without access to loans from cash-strapped banks, contractors will have difficulty obtaining lines of credit to buy backhoes or equipment they need to begin work on projects they might want to bid for under the stimulus plan.

Minnick said he was unafraid of being one of only 11 Democrats to cross party lines to vote with the entire Republican caucus.

"My job is to represent Idaho and to do what's best for this country, and that's more important than party lines," he said.

There are many worthy projects in the package, Minnick said, but he would rather see it pared down to three essential areas: tax cuts, additional money to help the unemployed and money for road construction and other infrastructure.

Keep those provisions, "and call it good; take all the rest of it out," Minnick said.

Rep. Mike Simpson, a Republican who sits on the House Appropriations Committee, said he is leery of the debt the country will have to take on to pay for the stimulus bill. He also said the money devoted to infrastructure spending was too small of a percentage of the overall stimulus package.

Such spending would have "put people back to work immediately and our economy will benefit from a much needed and improved infrastructure system," he said.