The US House of Representatives has passed a USD 787b stimulus package that President Barack Obama has called for.
Obama's Democratic allies powered the bill to a 246-183 victory but not one of the president's Republican critics broke ranks to support the measure, as attention shifted to a likely Senate vote late in the day.
Supporters and opponents of the package alike predicted full passage of the package -- a blend of tax cuts, aid to the least well off, and investment in infrastructure, education and energy -- by Obama's February 16 target date.
The president was expected to sign the measure soon and savor what would be his biggest political win since taking office January 20 and suffering a series of setbacks, notably a number of cabinet nominees withdrawing from contention.
The victory was also bittersweet, as lawmakers were voting on a compromise stimulus plan that was smaller than Obama had requested and Republicans rebuffed his appeals to join Democrats in approving the bill.
The vote came one day after Republican Senator Judd Gregg announced he was withdrawing his nomination to be Obama's commerce secretary, citing "irresolvable conflicts" on issues like the stimulus plan.
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