Economy & Budget

Rep. Pete Hoekstra (R-Mich.) - who recently got in some trouble for his tweeting in Iraq - continues to display his proficiency with the technology, posting the following:

Still no copy of stimulus. More and more speculation of really bad stuff in it!We won't know worst stuff until after we have voted! Beware!

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) plugged Las Vegas's hotel rates on the Senate floor today, defending President Obama's recent remarks about bailed-out executives and Vegas retreats as an attack on taxpayer-funded retreats, not Vegas itself.

"As all Americans spend less as a result of our economic crisis it's important to know that Las Vegas with the average daily hotel rate of only $119 is one of America's most affordable cities to visit," Reid said.

"That is a reason why nearly six million came came to Las Vegas to attend more than 20,000 meetings and conventions last year." Read more...

The Energy and Commerce Ranking Member is not happy that he was excluded from the House/Senate deliberations on the economic stimulus package, set to officially begin at three o'clock this afternoon

Therefore, Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas), the top Republican on that panel, intends to air his frustrations on the House floor throughout the course of the afternoon. He's rounded up several Energy and Commerce committee members to speak out as well.

Though the House and Senate economic stimulus packages both contain a large chunk of commerce related measures, the House Republicans were afforded only two seats at the conference committee table. House Democrats have three spots on the conference committee however; the chairmen of the Appropriations, Ways and Means and Energy and Commerce panels will represent the House Democrats. So, Barton's Democratic counterpart, Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) will partake in the negotiations.

Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) appointed Appropriations Ranking member Jerry Lewis (R-Calif.) and Ways and Means Ranking Member Dave Camp (R-Mich.)

Leader John Boehner said that he wanted to appoint Barton however, he selected Lewis and Camp because the largest portion of provisions in the massive stimulus packages fall within the jurisdiction of their committees.

-- Molly K. Hooper

The House and Senate are reportedly close to finalizing the econonmic stimulus package, according to news reports.

The price tag is said to be $789.5 billion and Democratic leaders are hoping to have a final vote on the conference version of the bill Friday.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) warned on Tuesday that the Senate stimulus plan would lead the country toward

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) on Tuesday appointed a five-man team of conferees - including himself - to negotiate with House officials over an $800 billion economic stimulus plan.

Reid tapped himself along with the top two members of the Finance and Appropriations committees - Max Baucus (D-Mont.), Charles Grassley (R-Iowa), Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii) and Thad Cochran (R-Miss.).

Reid told reporters he appointed himself out of "a sense of urgency," so the bill can be reconciled quickly with the House version.

Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) declined to comment on Reid's decision but joked to reporters that the majority leader "should be able to depend on" his own vote.

-- J. Taylor Rushing

House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) gave Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner mixed marks for his plan to rescue the county

A senior House Republican remains optimistic that the final economic stimulus package may include some Republican endorsed measures.

House GOP Conference Chairman Mike Pence (Ind.) told reporters this morning that growing opposition to the Democratic economic package may force the majority party leadership to compromise when the measure goes to conference committee.

300 voters attended a town hall meeting in the Indiana Republican

A sizable majority want more tax cuts in the economic stimulus plan currently being debated in Congress, according to a new poll.

The poll, conducted by Rasmussen Reports Feb. 6 through Feb. 7, found that 62 percent of 1,000 likely voters want there to be more tax cuts and less government spending in the stimulus package. Fourteen percent said they wanted more government spending and less tax cuts, while 20 percent said it should pass pretty much as it is now.

The Senate is set to vote on its $827 billion stimulus bill this week. The Senate version of the bill contains more tax cuts and less government spending than the House

Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), a pivotal voice on the Senate stimulus bill, said Monday that she is prepared to vote against the final version of the bill if it comes out of conference more closely resembling the House version than the Senate version.

Asked if she is ready to vote against the final stimulus package if it contains more of the spending programs in the House bill and fewer of the tax cuts in the Senate version, Collins was unequivocal.