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| US House approves stimulus plan | US House approves stimulus plan |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| The US House of Representatives has approved US President Barack Obama's economic stimulus plan by 246 votes to 183, with the Senate set to vote later. | |
| The plan was not backed by Republicans. Last week its previous version also did not get any Republican support. | The plan was not backed by Republicans. Last week its previous version also did not get any Republican support. |
| Members of both houses of Congress reached a deal over the package, now worth $789bn (£549bn), on Wednesday. | Members of both houses of Congress reached a deal over the package, now worth $789bn (£549bn), on Wednesday. |
| Earlier on Friday, Mr Obama said that Congressional approval of the stimulus plan was "critical". | Earlier on Friday, Mr Obama said that Congressional approval of the stimulus plan was "critical". |
| The president said that the plan, which includes tax cuts and spending, would "save or create more than 3.5 million jobs". | The president said that the plan, which includes tax cuts and spending, would "save or create more than 3.5 million jobs". |
| The revised packaged was backed by 246 Democrats, while seven Democrats and 176 Republicans voted against it, dashing Mr Obama's hopes for bipartisan support. | |
| Republican representative Mike Pence said before the vote: "The only thing the Democrats' stimulus bill will do is stimulate more government and more debt." | |
| 'Driving purpose' | |
| Meanwhile, Mr Obama said that in the longer term the government needed to rein in spending. | |
| We need to confront the crisis in the housing sector that has been one of the sources of our economic challenges US President Barack Obama | |
| "We are going to have to once again live within our means," he said. | |
| "We have a once-in-a-generation chance to act boldly, and turn adversity into opportunity, and to use this crisis as a chance to transform our economy for the twenty-first century," the president told members of the Business Council in Washington. | |
| "That's the driving purpose of the recovery and reinvestment plan that I've put before Congress." | |
| "We need to confront the crisis in the housing sector that has been one of the sources of our economic challenges." | |
| Negotiations | |
| The House approved its $825bn version of the package last week without any Republican support. | |
| The Senate voted to approve a different $838bn version on Tuesday, with few Republicans opting to back it. | |
| The two versions had to be reconciled in a joint House-Senate committee before facing final votes in the two chambers. | |
| President Obama increased the pressure on Congress this week, saying he wanted the bill on his desk ready to sign by this weekend. |