Submitted by Conor Kenny on
By Congresspedia assistant editor Avelino Maestas
The weeks leading up to the passage of the bailout bill were filled with controversy, as America and its leaders attempted to accept the magnitude of the economic crisis. In addition, while congressional leaders from both parties signaled a willingness to embrace some level of federal intervention, rank-and-file members and the public were wary of the plan presented by the Bush Administration.
In the end, Congress approved the legislation — $700 billion to buy assets and equity in struggling banks and other financial institutions. Passage of the bill, however, was hard-fought: the House defeated the original proposal, and only approved a “sweetened” version that included a series of tax rebates and fixes, earmarks, and section on mental-health parity.
So how did your representative vote? Your fellow citizens are asking the same question, and we have a way for you to find out and let others know too. Just check out our latest participatory project, where you can help by recording your representative's votes on the bailout bill.
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