WASHINGTON — In the first sign of compromise from Senate Republicans in their long-running test of wills with President Clinton over his $16.3-billion economic stimulus package, moderate Sen. Mark O. Hatfield (R-Ore.) on Monday proposed a scaled-down version of between $8 billion and $9 billion.
But it was unclear whether Hatfield's alternative provided a way out of the legislative stalemate that has effectively blocked progress on Clinton's overall economic plan.
Hatfield's proposal also falls far short of Clinton's compromise offer Friday to reduce the stimulus spending package by $4 billion. At the same time, other Republicans sent mixed signals Monday on whether they would support the Hatfield alternative.
The maneuvering came as the White House and Senate Republicans headed for a final showdown this week over the stimulus package, billed by the Administration as a way to boost the economy by creating jobs.
Clinton, in a speech to the Building and Construction Trades Union, launched one of his harshest attacks yet against the GOP leadership, charging that the Republicans who say they oppose the stimulus bill because it increases the federal deficit are the same politicians who allowed the deficit to soar to record heights under two successive Republican presidents.
"This is the crowd that had the government for 12 years. They took the deficit from $1 trillion to $4 trillion," chided Clinton. "Have they no shame? How can they say this? Sometimes, I think the secret of success in this town is being able to say the most amazing things with a straight face.
"I have compromised, I have held out my hand. I think it's time for somebody to reach back across the divide of party politics and put the American people first."
Still, the Administration's chances of getting the entire package passed seemed to dwindle even further Monday, when Congress returned from its Easter recess. Senate Majority Leader George J. Mitchell (D-Me.) and Minority Leader Bob Dole (R-Kan.) agreed to resolve the stimulus issue this week--in effect saying that they would do so regardless of the outcome.
That signaled that the Democrats may be ready to cut their losses in the face of the Republican filibuster and move on to other issues--although another vote to end the filibuster is scheduled for Wednesday morning.
