BREAKING: Stimulus Passes Test Vote
By: RNS
Updated: February 9, 2009
BREAKING Update
The more than $800 billion economic stimulus bill has survived a key test vote in the Senate. A Senate vote on final passage is expected tomorrow (Tuesday).
The House already passed a stimulus bill. Deep differences in the House and Senate bills would have to be reconciled in a joint committee before a final bill is sent to President Obama.
What's Next
The Senate is nearing a key test vote on the economic stimulus bill. The path was cleared when a bipartisan compromise was struck Friday night.
Late this afternoon, a vote will be held on whether to proceed to final passage of the more than $800 billion stimulus. Sixty votes are needed to move forward, something that can only happen if a handful of Republicans join Democrats. If it clears the 60-vote threshold, a final vote could come Tuesday.
The House already passed a stimulus bill. Deep differences in the House and Senate bills would have to be reconciled in a joint committee before a final bill is sent to President Obama.
Obama has been pushing hard for the aggressive stimulus package, calling it an urgent necessity to jolt the troubled economy. Conservative critics say it's full of wasteful spending.
How Do CItizens Feel?
Three out of four Americans approve of what Barack Obama is doing as President, but far fewer are fans of his economic stimulus package.
A CNN/Opinion Research Poll found just 54 percent of Americans in favor of his stimulus bill, with 45 percent disapproving of the plan.
The divide appears partisan, with three out of four Democrats backing the package. That number drops to 51 percent for Independents and 32 percent among Republicans.
When asked if the bill in the Senate would help the economy, 64 percent said yes, compared to 34-percent who thought it would do little or nothing to better the situation.
The poll also shows Americans back the way Obama is handling the stimulus package with lawmakers. More than 70-percent of people asked say the President is doing enough to cooperate with Republicans in Congress on the bill.
Just under 40-percent thought Republicans were being cooperative enough.
The more than $800 billion economic stimulus bill has survived a key test vote in the Senate. A Senate vote on final passage is expected tomorrow (Tuesday).
The House already passed a stimulus bill. Deep differences in the House and Senate bills would have to be reconciled in a joint committee before a final bill is sent to President Obama.
What's Next
The Senate is nearing a key test vote on the economic stimulus bill. The path was cleared when a bipartisan compromise was struck Friday night.
Late this afternoon, a vote will be held on whether to proceed to final passage of the more than $800 billion stimulus. Sixty votes are needed to move forward, something that can only happen if a handful of Republicans join Democrats. If it clears the 60-vote threshold, a final vote could come Tuesday.
The House already passed a stimulus bill. Deep differences in the House and Senate bills would have to be reconciled in a joint committee before a final bill is sent to President Obama.
Obama has been pushing hard for the aggressive stimulus package, calling it an urgent necessity to jolt the troubled economy. Conservative critics say it's full of wasteful spending.
How Do CItizens Feel?
Three out of four Americans approve of what Barack Obama is doing as President, but far fewer are fans of his economic stimulus package.
A CNN/Opinion Research Poll found just 54 percent of Americans in favor of his stimulus bill, with 45 percent disapproving of the plan.
The divide appears partisan, with three out of four Democrats backing the package. That number drops to 51 percent for Independents and 32 percent among Republicans.
When asked if the bill in the Senate would help the economy, 64 percent said yes, compared to 34-percent who thought it would do little or nothing to better the situation.
The poll also shows Americans back the way Obama is handling the stimulus package with lawmakers. More than 70-percent of people asked say the President is doing enough to cooperate with Republicans in Congress on the bill.
Just under 40-percent thought Republicans were being cooperative enough.
