This was a procedural vote on a resolution outlining the rules for floor debate on a bill that would provide $815.8 billion in tax cuts and additional spending to stimulate the economy. 

These types of resolutions, drafted by the House Rules Committee (and typically favorable to the majority party, in this case Democrats), set the rules for debate for bills on the House floor, including how long the bill will be debated and what, if any, amendments may be offered.

This particular vote was a procedural motion known as the “previous question,” which effectively ends debate and is often used by the minority party as a last gasp attempt to amend bills that otherwise might not be amendable in the way in which they want.  However, in this case, Republicans did not attempt to bring up any amendments and there was no debate on the procedural vote itself, though Republicans did complain about being shut out of the amendment process on the rule itself.

By a vote of 244-183, the motion was agreed to.  Every Republican present voted against the motion.  All but eight Democrats present voted for the motion.  The end result is that the motion was adopted, thus ending consideration of the rule governing floor debate for an economic stimulus bill.  Then the House proceeded to a vote on the rule itself.