Oregon Public Broadcasting

The $700 billion economic bailout package the House passed and President Bush signed into law Friday had some things included to make it more appealing to lawmakers.  

A couple members of the Northwest’s Congressional delegation changed their votes.  Correspondent Chris Lehman has more.

Washington Democrat Jim McDermott changed his original Yes vote to a No, and Oregon Democrat David Wu changed his original No vote to a Yes.  

That kept the region’s tally at an even eight for and eight against the plan.  New items added to the package since Monday’s vote include an extension of timber subsidies and tax breaks for alternative energy.

Portland Democratic Congressman Earl Blumenauer says those things made it harder to vote against the bill this time, but he did anyway.

Earl Blumenauer:  “It was more awkward and conflicted.  But at core, it just seemed to me extraordinarily short-sighted to add to the deficit and not deal with the underlying problems.”

Washington’s delegation got another bone thrown in their direction.  The bailout package includes a tax break that allows Washington residents to deduct sales tax from their federal income tax returns.