Carper Continues to Push as Stimulus Plan Clears Hurdle

Sen. Tom Carper (D-DE)

The Obama administration’s $838 billion economic stimulus plan cleared a key hurdle in the Senate, netting 3 Republican votes and putting a compromise version of the bill on track.

The bill is expected to survive a full vote in the Senate on Tuesday, setting up a battle with the House as the two chambers try to iron out differences between their competing versions of the bill.

“This bill is not perfect,” said Senator Tom Carper (D-DE). “There are provisions I would like to add, and some I would like to remove, however overall it represents a sound approach that I believe will garner the necessary bipartisan support and eventually become law.”

Republican opponents have warned that the economic stimulus effort will lead the U.S. into more debt and eventually financial disaster.

“Everybody on the street in America understands that,” Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL), the ranking Republican on the Senate Banking Committee, told CNN. “This is not the right road to go. We’ll pay dearly.”

Senator Carper disagrees, noting that economists on the left and right recognize the government needs a large stimulus bill to jump-starting the economy,

“Unless its about $800 billion or more, don’t bother,” he said.

The Senate will convene Tuesday, February 10 at 10:00 a.m. and resume consideration of the economic stimulus package. A full vote on the bill is expected.