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WASHINGTON (AP) - House members are getting another chance to vote on a financial bailout bill that has infuriated millions of voters after the Senate added tax cuts and other sweeteners and passed it handily.
Senators advanced the much-criticized measure in a 74-25 vote late Wednesday, sending it to the other side of the Capitol for a showdown vote expected Friday. The move was calculated to win over enough dissenting House members to get the bill through and reverse Monday's stunning defeat in the H ouse. Party leaders there planned to press rank-and-file members Thursday for the dozen converts they believe they need.
President Bush will continue lobbying, too, with the argument that businesses are having a tough time financing operations and payroll and need help. A day ahead of the House vote, Bush called business leaders to the White House on Thursday to make his case for the $700-billion package.
"The president will note how important it is to pass the financial rescue legislation to help to free up credit in our economy," said White House spokesman Tony Fratto. "These business owners know the consequences if the situation gets worse, so the crisis is urgent for these businesses."
On another front, the head of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, urged people to remain calm.
"I think overall the banking system remains very sound so that's why I think it's so important for everybody to keep their head," commission Chairman Sheila Bair said on C-SPAN. "What I don't want is to see otherwise healthy institutions start to get into trouble just because of liquidity pressure ... Wall Street should be taking their cue from Main Street right now. Main Street deposits are staying there."
The bailout package was never in danger in the Senate. Senators instead played catalysts for the House, adding tax provisions popular with the left and right in a bid that House leaders hope — but cannot guarantee — will persuade enough of the House rank-and-file to switch from "nay" to "aye" on a highly contentious bill a month before Election Day.
They were especially targeting the 133 House Republicans who voted against the package.
California's David Dreier said Thursday morning that "I hated" the initial version of the bill but that he plans to vote for it this time around.
"I was very concerned with the proposal that came forward that would have allowed golden parachutes to go forward," said Dreier, a Republican. But he said he likes the new version because "it puts into place growth-oriented tax cuts."
"I will tell you, the American people are angy and frustrated," he said on ABC's "Good Morning America," saying he's been hearing messages like "the woman who said she was concerned about getting access to a student loan for her daughter."
Rep. Marcy Kaptur, an Ohio Democrat, said on the same program that she plans to vote no.
"I will not support this legislation because it's the wrong medicine," she said. Kaptur argued that the problem should be solved by the market itself, not through governmental intervention.
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