Uh oh. Problems in Nancy Pelosi’s House? House Democrats balking on Porkulus?

What if you threw a Porkulus meeting and no one came?  Nancy Pelosi and Steny Hoyer just found out:

Senators negotiating a final compromise economic stimulus package said the House of Representatives and Senate agreed Wednesday on a $789.5 billion package that scales back tax breaks for new car and home buyers while restoring some cuts in state education aid and health care.

But after the announcement, a joint conference committee meeting scheduled for 3 p.m. was postponed after House Democrats did not show up.

Senators said they still expected an agreement later Wednesday, and it was unclear that the agreement had run into difficulties. Senate staff members said the delay was merely to allow House members who had been expected to oppose some aspects of the Senate bill to express their feelings privately.

According to Senators Ben Nelson, D-Neb., and Susan Collins, R-Maine, key moderates who helped craft the agreement, the new bill includes $54 billion for education, less than $79 billion House members had wanted and more than the $39 billion senators approved.

The new bill has no money for school construction, increases to $90 billion the amount of money that would be sent to states to help pay Medicaid costs, and also increases to $49.6 billion the amount of money that would be devoted to infrastructure projects.

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February 11, 2009 · Filed Under Democrats, Porkulus


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