MNeagle
4th August 2010, 02:23 PM
WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) -- House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is calling members back to Washington next week to vote on a bill that would give $26 billion in aid to cash-strapped states, following the bill's clearing of a procedural hurdle in the Senate on Wednesday.
House members left town on Friday to return to their districts for a five-week recess, but Pelosi said that the bill couldn't wait for them to return.
"As millions of children prepare to go back to school - many in just a few days - the House will act quickly to approve this legislation once the Senate votes," Pelosi (D., Calif.), said Wednesday.
She said she was asking members to come back to Washington at the beginning of the week to pass the bill and send it to President Barack Obama for his signature into law.
Senators voted to limit debate on the bill earlier Wednesday. The $26 billion measure would extend about $16 billion to state governments to help pay for Medicaid and $10 billion to local school boards to help avoid teacher layoffs.
A Senate vote on final passage could come Thursday.
The Senate vote to limit debate on the measure was 61-38. Republican Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins of Maine joined Democrats to vote for the cutoff.
States continue to face big budget gaps, as they grapple with the aftermath of the worst recession in decades. At least 46 states struggled to close shortfalls in adopting budgets for fiscal 2011, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.
House members left town last week after approving a bill that rewrites rules on offshore oil drilling.
On Wednesday, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D., Nev.) said it would be "very difficult" for the House to take a five-week break with the legislation waiting for lawmakers' approval.
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/aid-to-cash-strapped-states-advances-in-senate-2010-08-04?siteid=rss&rss=1
House members left town on Friday to return to their districts for a five-week recess, but Pelosi said that the bill couldn't wait for them to return.
"As millions of children prepare to go back to school - many in just a few days - the House will act quickly to approve this legislation once the Senate votes," Pelosi (D., Calif.), said Wednesday.
She said she was asking members to come back to Washington at the beginning of the week to pass the bill and send it to President Barack Obama for his signature into law.
Senators voted to limit debate on the bill earlier Wednesday. The $26 billion measure would extend about $16 billion to state governments to help pay for Medicaid and $10 billion to local school boards to help avoid teacher layoffs.
A Senate vote on final passage could come Thursday.
The Senate vote to limit debate on the measure was 61-38. Republican Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins of Maine joined Democrats to vote for the cutoff.
States continue to face big budget gaps, as they grapple with the aftermath of the worst recession in decades. At least 46 states struggled to close shortfalls in adopting budgets for fiscal 2011, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.
House members left town last week after approving a bill that rewrites rules on offshore oil drilling.
On Wednesday, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D., Nev.) said it would be "very difficult" for the House to take a five-week break with the legislation waiting for lawmakers' approval.
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/aid-to-cash-strapped-states-advances-in-senate-2010-08-04?siteid=rss&rss=1