House Passes Stimulus; No Republicans Back It

The House this evening passed President Obama's $819 billion stimulus plan on a party-line vote of 244-188, CNN reports. In a potentially troubling sign for the president, no Republicans voted to back the plan, which calls for $544 billion in spending and $275 billion in tax cuts. Eleven Democrats also voted against it, the Post notes. The Senate is expected to begin consideration of an costlier version vote next week.

Nancy Pelosi hailed the bill as necessary to move "America in a new direction." But Minority Leader John Boehner said it has "a lot of wasteful provisions and slow-moving spending." He added: "We have to act—we have to heal the ailing economy. The question is how to do it best; we think that fast-acting tax relief is the way to get it done." (More economic stimulus package stories.)