The House is racing to get outta Dodge this afternoon and despite rampant senioritis on the Hill, Speaker Pelosi kept enough members here long enough to pass H.R. 3435 to provide an additional $2 billion in stimulus funds to the wildly successful cash for clunkers program. The vote was bipartisan, passing 316-109 with six voting present, despite criticism of the program that, under the guise of environmentalism, it helps subsidize gas guzzlers like the Hummer.
“Not more than a few weeks ago there were skeptics who weren’t sure that this cash for clunkers program would work,” President Obama said today. “It’s working so well that the funds may already be exahusted… Thanks to quick bipartisan responses we’re donig everything posisble to help this program and to help consumers and the auto industry as it continues to recover.”
The Senate next week is expected to take up the bill and send it to Obama’s desk to sign into law.