Nelson Warns House Democrats on Stimulus Changes

Joining similar statements made by Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Arlen Specter (R-PA), Senator Ben Nelson (D-NE) is warning House Democrats not to make significant changes to the economic stimulus bill or run the risk of losing enough support in the Senate to send the bill to the President.

Glenn Thrush:

Nebraska Democratic Sen. Ben Nelson, who carved out a kingmaker role at the center (literally) of the stimulus fight, is warning House Democrats he won’t support anything that differs very much from the Senate bill that will pass easily tonight.

"It can’t be materially different as to the topline [of about $830 billion] or as to the pieces in the package," he tells Politico.

But he left a little bit of daylight, saying he’s "never said never" about anything.

Asked if he could accept the restoration of education aid to the states, he replied: "If they [the House leadership] can persuade the three Republicans" who voted for the stimulus cloture last night "they could do that" — suggesting he wouldn’t be swayed unless there were major House cuts to other parts of the program.

The conference negotiations among House and Senate members to work out differences between the two bills is something that needs to be watched closely.  The three Republican crossover votes (Collins, Snowe & Specter) have already taken some flack from conservatives for supporting the stimulus.  They are not going to be at all eager to accept a significant amount of new spending in a package already costing around $838 billion in the Senate.

Remember, once the conference report is worked out, members of both bodies will have to take a final vote before the bill is sent to President Obama.  In the Senate, that vote will almost certainly be subject to a sixty-vote threshold.  Without the support of two Republicans, the package fails.  If Ben Nelson dropped out, which seems unlikely at this point despite his comments, all three Republican votes would be needed to pass it.