WASHINGTON, Nov. 8 (UPI) -- A planned U.S. congressional session to craft an economic stimulus package may not happen if there's no deal with the White House soon, a key lawmaker says.
U.S. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., told reporters that if congressional negotiators can't reach an agreement with President George Bush on the broad outlines of a stimulus package -- which could contain between $50 billion and $100 billion in federal spending -- House leaders might scuttle the lame-duck session, the Washington publication The Hill reported Saturday.
"Clearly there's no point in us doing something if the administration is going to take the position that they're not going to sign something," Hoyer told reporters.
White House negotiators reportedly have been balking at Democratic provisions to spend billions of dollars on unemployment insurance benefits, food stamps, aid to the states in the form of Medicare and Medicaid payments, and transportation and infrastructure spending. The cash infusion is designed to combat some of the worst effects of soaring unemployment.
Hoyer's comments could be meant to pressure Bush into offering concessions on his opposition to the measures, The Hill said.
