Senate passes Obama's economic recovery plan

(AP) - President Barack Obama's economic recoveryplan has passed the Senate and is on its way to difficultHouse-Senate negotiations.
Just three Republicans helped pass the plan on a 61-37 vote andthey're already signaling they'll play hardball to preserve morethan $108 billion in spending cuts made last week in Senatedealmaking. Obama wants to restore cuts in funds for schoolconstruction jobs and help for cash-starved states.
Those cuts are among the major differences between the $819billion House version of Obama's plan and a Senate bill costing$838 billion. Obama has warned of a deepening economic crisis ifCongress fails to act. He wants a bill completed by the weekend.