February 07,2008

Senate Accepts Finance Committee Economic Stimulus Provisions

Additions to House-passed bill bring 20 million seniors, 250,000 disabled veterans into congressional effort to boost American economy

Washington, DC – The Senate has voted to add key elements of the Finance Committee
economic stimulus plan to the House-passed economic stimulus bill. Last week, Finance
Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) presented and the panel passed a package of provisions that would extend stimulus rebate checks to at least 20 million American seniors living on Social Security and to 250,000 disabled veterans left out of the House-passed stimulus bill. The Finance plan also included safeguards missing from the House bill to ensure that illegal immigrants could not receive rebates. By a vote of 81 to 16 today, the Senate accepted the bipartisan Finance Committee provisions and sent the measure back to the House for final approval.

“These changes are a victory for the 20 million seniors and for the 250,000 disabled
veterans left out of the House-passed package. These changes are a victory for all Senators on both sides of the aisle who stood up to say this rebate should go to the folks who will stimulate our economy the fastest,” Baucus said. "When we began this process there was enormous opposition to making even good, bipartisan changes to the House-passed package. I am proud that the Finance Committee and the Senate successfully improved this bill for seniors, disabled veterans, and the people of this country who really need it, and I am proud to have done it just as quickly as we said we would.”

A summary of today’s amendment is available on the Finance Committee website at
http://www.finance.senate.gov/.

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