Today in Washington D. C. - Feb 8, 2008
On The Floor: The Senate reconvened at 9:30 AM and resumed consideration of the FISA reform bill (S. 2248). No votes on amendments to the FISA bill are expected until Tuesday. Congress will need to work quickly to pass the bill before the previous temporary FISA revision expires a week from today. If passed next Tuesday, the bill will still need to go to conference with the House-passed bill.
Yesterday, the Senate passed the economic stimulus package (H.R. 5140) by a vote of 81-16 after agreeing to an amendment by Sens. Reid and McConnell to allow disabled veterans and some seniors to receive rebate checks while preventing illegal aliens from getting them. Later, the House approved the Senate changes to the original House bill, sending it to the president for his signature. During his speech to CPAC this morning, President Bush announced he would sign the bill next week.
From Senate & News Sources: After Democrats spent days playing politics, they failed to get 60 votes for their extra spending proposals and eventually joined in a plan offered by Republicans. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid had initially said there would be only one chance to amend the stimulus package-with the Democrats’ plan. The New York Times notes today, “Mr. Reid also brazenly waved off assertions by Republicans that he would ultimately relent. ‘We should go for the whole package,’ he said. ‘Wait until we have this vote and they’ll find out if I am bluffing. I am not much of a bluffer.’ In the end, Mr. Reid had bluffed . . . . Moving with uncommon speed, Congress gave final approval on Thursday to a $168 billion economic rescue package, including rebates for taxpayers and tax breaks for businesses, that lawmakers and President Bush hope will set off a rush of springtime spending and spark the slowing economy. A day after the Senate seemed mired in a partisan feud over a more expensive stimulus plan favored by Democrats, lawmakers cast that quarrel aside and approved a plan nearly identical to one the House adopted last week.”
Tags: economic stimulus, FISA, US Congress, US House, US Senate, Washington D.C. To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Yesterday, the Senate passed the economic stimulus package (H.R. 5140) by a vote of 81-16 after agreeing to an amendment by Sens. Reid and McConnell to allow disabled veterans and some seniors to receive rebate checks while preventing illegal aliens from getting them. Later, the House approved the Senate changes to the original House bill, sending it to the president for his signature. During his speech to CPAC this morning, President Bush announced he would sign the bill next week.
From Senate & News Sources: After Democrats spent days playing politics, they failed to get 60 votes for their extra spending proposals and eventually joined in a plan offered by Republicans. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid had initially said there would be only one chance to amend the stimulus package-with the Democrats’ plan. The New York Times notes today, “Mr. Reid also brazenly waved off assertions by Republicans that he would ultimately relent. ‘We should go for the whole package,’ he said. ‘Wait until we have this vote and they’ll find out if I am bluffing. I am not much of a bluffer.’ In the end, Mr. Reid had bluffed . . . . Moving with uncommon speed, Congress gave final approval on Thursday to a $168 billion economic rescue package, including rebates for taxpayers and tax breaks for businesses, that lawmakers and President Bush hope will set off a rush of springtime spending and spark the slowing economy. A day after the Senate seemed mired in a partisan feud over a more expensive stimulus plan favored by Democrats, lawmakers cast that quarrel aside and approved a plan nearly identical to one the House adopted last week.”
Tags: economic stimulus, FISA, US Congress, US House, US Senate, Washington D.C. To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Posted by Bill Smith at 10:01 AM - Post Link
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home