House to vote on Obama’s economic stimulus plan

President Barack Obama’s expansive and expensive plan to jump-start the economy is all but certain to clear its first hurdle when the Democratic-controlled House votes on an $825 billion version that melds new spending and tax cuts. Republican support, however, is in doubt when voting takes place today. With Democrats enjoying a comfortable majority and expected to fall in line behind Obama, they don’t need help from GOP lawmakers to win House passage of his top priority of economic recovery. But Obama wants Republican support to illustrate his promise of a new style of politics that rejects partisan gridlock. Despite his desire for partisan backing, the House was moving the bill toward a passage vote that was expected to be largely along party lines. Senate committees were working on a separate version of the measure that enjoyed only slightly more support from Republicans. Congressional leaders have promised Obama they would send him the measure, which could be the single largest bill ever to go through Congress, by mid-February.