A Bipartisan Achievement for Our Economy

Press Release

A Bipartisan Achievement for Our Economy

‘This is not a victory for Republicans or Democrats. This is a victory for the American people'

The Senate on Thursday passed a bipartisan economic growth package, including an amendment that mirrors a provision offered Wednesday by Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell and U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens. The amendment, offered Thursday by Majority Leader Harry Reid and McConnell, will ensure that low-income seniors and disabled veterans receive a rebate check as part of the economic growth package. The amendment also ensures the widows of disabled veterans receive rebate checks and makes immigrants who have entered the country illegally ineligible to receive rebate checks.

"On January 18th, I came to the floor and said if we can work together to keep partisanship from infecting this process, we can quickly have a template for making law, not just making a point." McConnell said. "This is not a victory for Republicans or Democrats. This is a victory for the American people."

The Economic Stimulus Act of 2008 is identical to the bipartisan House-passed economic growth package (H.R. 5140) with the following modifications from the Reid-McConnell amendment:

Counts social security payments and VA disability payments as "qualifying income," allowing seniors, disabled veterans and widows of disabled veterans to qualify for rebate checks

Contains the Senate Finance Committee language with respect to making illegal aliens ineligible for rebate checks

Makes additional technical changes related to:

IRS math error authority

A hold harmless with respect to eligibility for federal benefits

An appropriation for the Social Security Administration

Anti-double dipping provisions for residents of U.S. territories

Source