WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama's economic recovery
plan has passed the Senate and is on its way to difficult
House-Senate negotiations.
Just three Republicans helped pass the plan on a 61-37 vote and
they're already signaling they'll play hardball to preserve more
than $108 billion in spending cuts made last week in Senate
dealmaking. Obama wants to restore cuts in funds for school
construction jobs and help for cash-starved states.
Those cuts are among the major differences between the $819
billion House version of Obama's plan and a Senate bill costing
$838 billion. Obama has warned of a deepening economic crisis if
Congress fails to act. He wants a bill completed by the weekend.
(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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