The House began a heated debate this morning on legislation that would authorize what is likely to become the biggest federal government bailout in the nation's history, shortly after President Bush urged lawmakers to act quickly to approve the $700 billion proposal hammered out over the weekend.
Bush acknowledged that the vote will be "difficult" in the face of opposition from taxpayers and voters but necessary to protect the economy.
"A vote for this bill is a vote to prevent economic damage to you and your community" by stabilizing financial markets and renewing the flow of credit, Bush said, attempting to undercut arguments that the proposed legislation bolsters Wall Street at taxpayers' expense. "This is a bold bill that will keep the crisis in our financial system from spreading through our economy."
"Today's the decision day. I wish it weren't the case," said Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.), chairman of the House Financial Services Committee and co-author of the legislation that was crafted in marathon negotiating sessions with Treasury Secretary Henry M. Paulson Jr.
Frank said no lawmaker wants to approve such a large bailout that was made necessary by the mistakes of Wall Street financiers and the mortgage industry, but inaction risked a more widespread financial meltdown. If nothing is done, he said, "the consequences will be much more severe."
With three hours of debate beginning just before 9:30 a.m., lawmakers expect a vote to be wrapped up before 1 p.m. Eastern time. Leaders of both parties are supporting the measure, but neither side has given a public estimate of how much support they have.
During early morning votes on noncontroversial matters, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) hurried around the chamber floor, button-holing rank-and-file members and showing them papers, asking for their support.
After a week of political tumult and deepening economic anxiety, congressional leaders yesterday rallied support for the historic proposal, which would grant the government vast new powers over Wall Street and offer fresh help to homeowners at risk of foreclosure.
The proposed legislation would authorize Treasury Secretary Henry M. Paulson Jr. to initiate what is likely to become the biggest government bailout in U.S. history, allowing him to spend up to $700 billion to relieve faltering banks and other firms of bad assets backed by home mortgages, which are falling into foreclosure at record rates.
The plan would give Paulson broad latitude to purchase any assets from any firms at any price and to assemble a team of individuals and institutions to manage them. In wielding those powers, Paulson and others hope to contain a crisis that already has caused the failure or forced the rescue of a half-dozen major Wall Street firms and unnerved markets around the world.
The measure was forged during a marathon negotiating session between lawmakers from both parties and Paulson -- who at one point appeared to negotiators to be on the verge of collapse. Restive Republican lawmakers originally criticized the package as putting taxpayers at risk and violating free-market principles, but many of them appeared yesterday to be dropping their opposition.
House Minority Leader John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) emerged last night from a meeting of House Republicans to say he is "encouraging every member whose conscience will allow them to support this." Boehner said he and other GOP leaders made the case that negotiators had improved the bill by gaining a key concession on a plan to limit taxpayer exposure.
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