The Senate approved an $838 billion economic recovery package bill Tuesday, as Democrats held on to the few Republican supporters who helped hammer out a compromise measure last week.
The bill passed by a vote of 61-37. Sixty votes were needed.
But the work has only just begun for congressional leaders in the House and Senate, who now must reconcile the differences between their two versions of the bill during what's known as a conference committee.
Those negotiations could drive up the price tag of the bill as each chamber fights for its priorities. The House version of the bill is $819 billion.
The talks could also last through next week, potentially passing President Obama's Feb. 16 deadline.
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., minced no words when discussing the possibility of debate on the stimulus package bleeding into late next week.
"Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday and maybe Wednesday and Thursday next week may be needed to pass (the stimulus bill)," Hoyer said.
The package is a blend of spending, tax cuts and incentives that both the administration and Democrats in Congress hope will create jobs and stimulate the economy. But most Republican lawmakers oppose it, saying that while government action may be necessary the plan as crafted is too bloated with wasteful spending.
The House and Senate are expected to be out of session next week for the President's Day recess. But House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said weeks ago that the recess could be in jeopardy if lawmakers hadn't finished work on the stimulus measure.
Hoyer's statement indicated the potential challenges facing House and Senate negotiators as they try to bridge differences and create a single, unified measure to send to Obama.
One concern is that altering the Senate bill could risk the support of the three key Republican senators: Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins of Maine and Pennsylvania's Arlen Specter.
Specter has suggested that the House approve something very close to the Senate version of the bill. That assertion didn't sit well with Hoyer.
"I'm shocked that any senator would say 'that's the bill we passed, take it or leave it,'" Hoyer said.
No Republicans supported the House version of the package two weeks ago. Hoyer is mindful that too much House meddling could torpedo the entire package.
FOX News' Chad Pergram contributed to this report.
The bill passed by a vote of 61-37. Sixty votes were needed.
But the work has only just begun for congressional leaders in the House and Senate, who now must reconcile the differences between their two versions of the bill during what's known as a conference committee.
Those negotiations could drive up the price tag of the bill as each chamber fights for its priorities. The House version of the bill is $819 billion.
The talks could also last through next week, potentially passing President Obama's Feb. 16 deadline.
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., minced no words when discussing the possibility of debate on the stimulus package bleeding into late next week.
"Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday and maybe Wednesday and Thursday next week may be needed to pass (the stimulus bill)," Hoyer said.
The package is a blend of spending, tax cuts and incentives that both the administration and Democrats in Congress hope will create jobs and stimulate the economy. But most Republican lawmakers oppose it, saying that while government action may be necessary the plan as crafted is too bloated with wasteful spending.
The House and Senate are expected to be out of session next week for the President's Day recess. But House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said weeks ago that the recess could be in jeopardy if lawmakers hadn't finished work on the stimulus measure.
Hoyer's statement indicated the potential challenges facing House and Senate negotiators as they try to bridge differences and create a single, unified measure to send to Obama.
One concern is that altering the Senate bill could risk the support of the three key Republican senators: Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins of Maine and Pennsylvania's Arlen Specter.
Specter has suggested that the House approve something very close to the Senate version of the bill. That assertion didn't sit well with Hoyer.
"I'm shocked that any senator would say 'that's the bill we passed, take it or leave it,'" Hoyer said.
No Republicans supported the House version of the package two weeks ago. Hoyer is mindful that too much House meddling could torpedo the entire package.
FOX News' Chad Pergram contributed to this report.