WASHINGTON — Votes that were expected Thursday on the economic stimulus package aimed at giving the U.S. economy a shot in the arm likely will be pushed off until at least Monday in to gain two crucial votes — from Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.
While the two Democrats are locking horns on the presidential campaign trail, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is trying to gain enough support in Washington to pass an add-on to the $150 billion version that the House passed earlier this week.
Senate Democrats already are facing Republican criticism of foot-dragging and “Christmas Tree” decorating on the stimulus package because of one Senate plan to replace the House version. Reid is hoping to pass a slightly different plan next week.
The Senate is working on a bill that would change the House plan by adding to the amount of money the federal government would disburse to individual tax filers — from a $300 minimum to a $500 minimum — and add to the number of people who would get checks.
Reed will need Clinton and Obama to help add two provisions that Democrats consider vital to boosting the sagging economy. One would give rebate checks to low-income seniors and disabled veterans, a provision that would extend benefits to some 20 million low-income seniors and 75,000 disabled veterans. The other is heating-oil assistance for the poor.
The measures will need 60 votes to pass, which will largely come from the Democratic side of the aisle.
Reid spokesman Jim Manley said his boss is calling both the Obama and Clinton campaigns to talk through the strategy, but Manley made clear that “this vote on stimulus is not dictated by the campaign schedule.”
The votes could happen as early as Monday, but it is possible that Reid will wait for after Super Tuesday.
If Reid’s plan and the several others under consideration fail, the Senate most likely will take up the original version passed by the House and backed at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.
“If it fails, we’ll pass the House bill,” said Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., a member of the Senate Democratic leadership team.
This is the gameplan that arose during a Thursday-morning emergency meeting that Reid called after strong backlash arose against the package developed by Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., who is the Finance Committee chairman, according to sources who attended the meeting.
Reid called the meeting after a Wednesday committee vote on Baucus’ bill showed slim GOP support for the plan, indicating likely failure once it hits the full Senate. Only three Republicans went for the bill, which Baucus created with the help of Ranking Minority Leader Charles Grassley.
The Baucus-Grassley bill adds additional business breaks and expands the number of taxpayers eligible for a rebate.
Reid is asking Clinton and Obama to head back to Washington Monday to help pass the most coveted provision of the Baucus-Grassley plan: a rebate check to 20 million low-income seniors and disabled veterans who receive Social Security benefits but have income that is too low to otherwise qualify for the rebates.
Supporters say the Baucus-Grassley bill also will fix a loophole in the House-passed economic stimulus package that allows some illegal immigrants to qualify for tax-rebate checks.
Lee ADDS: Just as I thought! Leave it to Harry ‘Hands Up’ Reid to stall until he gets what he KNOWS AMERICA DOES NOT WANT! He has no idea what Americans want as he obeys MoveOn, George Soros and ‘Fat Boy’ Kennedy!
