The U.S. House of
Representatives is voting Wednesday on President Barack Obama's $825 billion
plan to stimulate the economy.
Democrats in the House have
enough votes to pass the bill, but Mr. Obama wants broad bipartisan backing for
the measure. The president went to Capitol Hill Tuesday and lobbied skeptical
Republican Party members.
Republicans, who are in the
minority in Congress, say the plan spends too much and does not offer enough tax
cuts.
Senate panel approves more costly version
of bill
In other news, a key
Senate panel approved its version of the bill after adding another $70 billion
in tax cuts, bringing the total cost of the plan close to $900
billion.
The House and the Senate will
have to reconcile their versions of the stimulus plan before Mr. Obama can sign
it into law. Democratic lawmakers hope to have the plan approved by
mid-February.
Also on his agenda Wednesday,
Mr. Obama is meeting with chief executive officers of major companies to discuss
the stimulus plan, and is to make a statement on the economy.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.