"I commend Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Chairman Charles Rangel of the Ways and Means Committee and the leadership of both parties in the House for crafting the economic stimulus package we voted on today.

In the past weeks, we have seen the value of bipartisanship as the President accepted the olive branch of cooperation that our Speaker extended to him. The outcome was an economic stimulus package that will ease the burden of a slowing economy on millions of lower- and middle-income Americans.

This Congress reacted swiftly and resolutely to reports of a slowing economy and worked tirelessly to ensure that this package went to those who need it most - including 35 million low-income families who the Administration left out.

This is the most progressive tax package we've seen in years. It gets money into the hands of people who will spend it to boost our economy.

Will this package solve all of our economic problems - no?

Is there more that needs to be done - yes?

And we will continue to fight to do more for the American people.

President Franklin Delano Roosevelt once said that America faced "a rendezvous with destiny." Well, today we face a rendezvous with reality. That reality is a changing world that our economy must adapt to. And, the Democratic Congress will work over the coming months to give Americans the tools you need to adapt.

What we passed today, was the first in a series of programs to make this economy better. This is a good package, a progressive package and most importantly, it is a package that will give the American economy the boost it sorely needs."