Reid Sets Monday Vote On Starting Economic Stimulus Debate

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has set a Monday afternoon cloture vote on starting debate on an economic stimulus package.

Democrats are assuming that their GOP counterparts will go along with Monday's cloture vote since it just will allow debate to begin on the issue, with more substantive debate, including a Finance Committee substitute for the House-passed bill, to come later in the week.

Reid and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) have not reached agreement yet on the order or number of amendments that will be offered to the base House bill, but McConnell and other Republicans - including President Bush - have already come out against the Finance Committee's offering. If the Finance bill goes down, Reid is prepared to offer separate amendments extending unemployment insurance benefits (something not approved by the House), as well as additional veterans' benefits and financial aid for low-income Americans facing expensive heating bills.

It is unlikely at this point that any of the Senate's presidential candidates - Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.), Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) and Barack Obama (D-Ill.) - will be present for Monday's votes since the following day is "Super Tuesday," with presidential primaries in 22 states, including the all-important California primary.