WASHINGTON—The U.S. House will not pass a new economic stimulus bill this month, Democratic leader Steny Hoyer said Wednesday, ensuring that a partisan fight stretches into this summer's presidential and congressional campaigns.
Hoyer, a Maryland Democrat, was asked Wednesday whether his party will be able to finish such a bill before the 10-day Memorial Day congressional recess starting May 24. "The honest answer to that is no," he said.
With national elections only six months away, Democrats in control of Congress have been calling for additional ways to stimulate the flagging U.S. economy this year, beyond the $152 billion shot-in-the-arm enacted in February.
But President Bush, with the backing of his fellow Republicans in Congress, has argued that Washington should first see whether rebate checks now in the mail to millions of Americans jump-start the economy.
In the meantime, Democrats and Republicans have been fiercely trading blame for high gasoline prices, falling consumer confidence, a grim job outlook and a record drop in home prices.
"Senator (John) McCain wants to continue the policies, which we have pursued for the last eight years, which have led to no success internationally or domestically. The economy is essentially put in the ditch," Hoyer told reporters.
McCain has locked up the Republican nomination for president in the November election.
Hoyer's remarks came a day after Bush spoke of an economy facing a "tough time" and accused Congress of nothing but "delay" in fixing problems ranging from encouraging more domestic oil production to reforming housing programs.
When Bush and Congress worked in a bipartisan way during January and February to enact the first economic stimulus package, Republicans rejected calls by Democrats for expanded unemployment benefits, more food stamps and funding for construction projects to further stimulate the economy.
Packed Calendar
Now, with mostly bad economic news continuing and elections nearing, Democrats want to pass their initiatives rejected by the White House.
Democrats have been debating among themselves the size of an economic stimulus measure, with fiscally conservative Democrats resisting more deficit spending.
Asked about prospects for passing a new stimulus bill on the House floor, Hoyer said the House calendar was already packed this month.
"We've got a lot of work ... that we hope to get done between now and the break," he said listing an Iraq war funding bill next week, possibly a fiscal 2009 budget blueprint, housing legislation, as well as a major defense bill and measures dealing with electronic surveillance, consumer safety, agriculture policy and higher education.
If Democrats are able to pass many of these bills over the next three weeks, it could blunt Republican accusations of a do-nothing Congress.
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