President Obama's jobs bill picks up more than 90 House cosponsors

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10/30/11 04:41 PM ET

Following criticism from GOP leaders, House Democrats are rallying behind President Obama's $447 billion proposal to stimulate the economy and create jobs — even if it's not going anywhere.

More than 90 lower-chamber Democrats have officially endorsed the president's jobs bill in the past week – a stark jump over a short span that came after Democratic leaders welcomed members to sign on at the party's weekly caucus meeting last Tuesday.

Opening the bill to cosponsors marked a change in strategy for Democratic leaders, who initially had resisted endorsements to the legislation. Indeed, Rep. John Larson (Conn.), chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, was the only name tied to the measure for more than three weeks after he introduced it in September.

"As of last week, the chief sponsor of the president’s bill put the bill in ‘by request,’ which does not indicate a wholehearted support of the bill,” House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) told reporters earlier this month in arguing that the package is not a serious one. "At the end of last week there weren’t any Democratic co-sponsors of the President’s bill.”


http://thehill.com/homenews/house/190619-obama-jobs-bill-picks-more-than-90-house-cospronsors