The legislation had been developed in response to the severe economic downturn the country was experiencing. This was a vote on the resolution or “rule” setting the terms under which the House could debate the legislation funding the economic stimulus package. Under House procedures, before a bill or can be debated, the House must first approve a resolution containing the “rule” setting the terms for its consideration. The Republicans opposed the motion on several grounds. Their opposition was based partly on the substantive argument that the economic stimulus legislation was flawed and they had a better alternative. It was also based on the fact that the House was not being given adequate time to review the measure.

Rep. Dreier (R-CA), who was leading the opposition to the resolution, said: “(W)e had a copy of the bill placed before us in the Rules Committee very late last night. . . . Procedure rules are important because they are placed there for a reason. . . . It is unconscionable that we would vote on a 1,000-page bill without at least reading the bill. But we didn't get 48 hours.”  He referred to a previous House vote calling for 48 hours to be provided to Members to see legislation before voting on it

Rep. McGovern (D-MA), speaking for the Democrats, focused on the substance of the conference report and said: “When economists said there should be money for transportation and infrastructure, my Republican friends said `no.' When economists said there should be money for unemployment and for aid to States for school construction, my friends on the other side of the aisle said `no.’ It is not enough to say `no' . . . . People have had it with the failed economic policies of George W. Bush . . .  that is not what the American people want, and that is not what the American people voted for in the November elections. “

The resolution setting the terms for debate passed by a vote of 231-194. All 231 “aye” votes were cast by Democrats. Twenty-one other Democrats joined all one hundred and seventy-three Republicans and voted “nay”. As a result, the House was able to begin debating the legislation authorizing the funds for the economic stimulus package.