Bailout Plan Now In Hands Of House
WE TRAVELED TO HOUSTON TO INTERVIEW NEBRASKA ASTRONAUT CLAY ANDERSON BEFORE HE DEPARTS ON HIS FINAL SHUTTLE MISSION. A DAY WITH CLAY, MONDAY AT TEN ONLY ON THE CHANNEL 6 NEWS.
Save Email Print
Updated: 5:48 AM Oct 3, 2008
Bailout Plan Now In Hands Of House
Rep. Terry backs bill
The House of Representatives is expected to vote around Midday Friday on a new economic bailout plan. The $700 billion plan sailed through the Senate Wednesday by a vote of 74-25. So what makes this bill different from the one rejected on Monday?
Posted: 12:18 PM Oct 2, 2008
Reporter: Jodi Baker
Email Address: sixonline@wowt.com
Font Size:

The House of Representatives is expected to vote around Midday Friday on a new economic bailout plan. The $700 billion plan sailed through the Senate Wednesday by a vote of 74-25. So what makes this bill different from the one rejected on Monday?

After the House rejected the first plan Monday the stock market took a trillion dollar hit. A new version passed by the Senate includes some add-ons aimed at swaying lawmakers who had voted no.

Bailout backers hope to get the same support in the House after adding $110 billion in tax breaks and upping the federal deposit insurance cap from $100,000 to $250,000.

"It's a much stronger bill with much better protection for the taxpayers and so I'm probably going to vote for this bill when it comes up,” says Nebraska Rep. Lee Terry.

Iowa Congressman Steve King is voting no. "It's still a $700 billion taxpayer funded bailout of speculative investments on Wall Street."

King says the plan doesn't address underlying problems like the need to overhaul Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and move them toward privatization.

"We should apply those free market solutions. If not, there will be a lot bigger bill that will be presented to the taxpayers down the line somewhere."

Terry says action is needed now. "We're faced with this situation where we either help secure our economy or endure the consequences of it." Consequences, he says, in the stock market, business sector and also with home mortgages.

"I think you have to do it,” says Dave Lucks. “I'm in the industry and it's not a Wall Street bailout. It is a bailout for everybody."

"I think it's time for Americans to say, enough," says Hele Spivack.

Enough is the battle cry of taxpayers opposed to the plan.

“I have to show the leadership here, take the criticism that I'm surely going to get and do the right thing," says Terry.

The right thing depends on who you ask. King says 88 percent of people who've contacted him are still against a bailout. Both he and Terry expect this bill will pass when voted on.

Congressman Jeff Fortenberry of Lincoln issued a statement saying he doesn't know how he'll vote, but that he has "serious concerns" about the "construct" of this legislation.

Channel 6 News has not heard back from Congressman Adrian Smith.


Channel 6 News Features