In the House of Representatives, the rules for debating a bill ordinarily must be passed separately from the bill itself. However, it is possible to pass a bill under "suspension of the rules," which limits floor speeches and prevents amendments, but also requires a two-thirds vote for passage. Republicans proposed such a suspension the rules for a series of bills considered on March 6. Progressives and Democrats in general opposed this suspension, because it applied to the Republican leadership's version of a bill to extend unemployment benefits. There was broad bipartisan consensus on this extension, but Republicans had added to it an "economic stimulus" package that Progressives complained was slanted too strongly toward businesses and had little hope of passage in the Senate. Under suspension of the rules, many members would feel compelled to vote for the whole bill in order to get the unemployment extension, because they would not have the power to amend the bill to rid it of the stimulus package. When the Republicans moved to order the previous question-a way of ending debate and forcing a vote on whether or not to suspend the rules-Progressives voted "no," because they did not support the suspension and so did not favor voting on it. On an almost strictly party-line vote (one Democrat supported the motion), the motion passed, 218- 191, and the Progressive position failed.