Oregon Public Broadcasting

The U.S. House voted along party lines Wednesday to pass the $800 billion economic stimulus bill.

No Republicans voted for the bill.

Ethan Lindsey reports.

Oregon’s five congressmen didn’t buck the trend.

The four Democrats voted for the bill, and Hood River Republican Greg Walden voted against it.

Republicans say the package spends too much on non-essential, long-term projects.

But Democrats argued that the mix of tax cuts, short-term stimulus, and other spending is the right one.

Portland Democrat Earl Blumenauer says the Republican opposition came even though Democratic President Barack Obama reached out for bipartisan support.

Earl Blumenauer: “The Republican minority is smaller, and actually moved further to the right, as a result of the last election. Some of this was predictable.”

The Senate scheduled debate on its version of the stimulus bill next week. Oregon’s two Democrats have both said they're likely to support the measure.