The Senate today is continuing consideration of an economic stimulus bill that Democratic leaders hope to have passed by the end of the week. This would leave the House and Senate one week to compromise on the legislation it sends to President Obama before its regularly scheduled President's Day recess.

A Democratic-sponsored amendment that would have increased the amount of infrastructure spending in the bill -- likely one of many to be considered this week -- failed to garner the necessary 60 votes today. The final tally may be a sign for Democrats that they'll need to find things in the bill to cut out before adding any new spending.

House Republicans are promising to stay in the debate over the stimulus bill, despite the fact that the House passed its version last week. Earlier in the day, House Republican Conference Chairman Mike Pence told reporters that GOP House leadership is "urging our Senate colleagues to join every House Republican in opposing this bill" and that they'll be heard from "on the [House] floor and on the airwaves."

While calling Obama, who met with House Republicans prior to the vote, "refreshingly respectful," Pence said the Democrat-written bill that passed the House "included wasteful spending that had nothing to do with creating jobs." He said Republicans' unanimous opposition "was about princples, not politics."

"House Republicans don't believe we can borrow and spend our way to a healthy economy," Pence said. "There is a conflict of visions here about how we truly stimulate the economy."

With Republicans still complaining about Democrats not including them in the bill-writing process, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer listed major bills passed by the House this year that every member of the House GOP leadership voted against. "I don't think that that group to be saying we ought to be bipartisan is very credible," Hoyer said. "Bipartisanship, like dancing, requires two parties."

Not done with dancing metaphors for bipartisanship, Hoyer said later: "If I ask you to dance, and nine times out of 10 you say no, I may stop asking."