The tax-cut measure, approved by a 229-195 vote, is opposed by most Democrats, who are concerned that it would cut into the surplus set aside for social security.

House Democrats modified their tax-cut measure in response to protests that it offered little to stimulate the economy.

But then voters in Oregon, Michigan, and Missouri rejected tax-cut measures, and spending lids failed in Nebraska, Colorado, and Oregon.

The United States House of Representatives approves a tax-cut measure for $550 billion over 10 years.

Last week House Republican leaders succeeded in narrowly passing their signature $792 billion tax-cut measure only after making some concessions to both moderates and conservatives.

Why is there so little support for tax-cut measures so far even though voters in the state express anger about government spending?

The Republicans interrupted a session of the Senate Finance Committee, which was trying to pass a $245 billion tax-cut measure, to offer unusual congratulations to the President.

The safest bet now is that in the House, the party will stick with the tax-cut measures, including a $500-per-child tax credit, and pass most of them this spring.

One of today's visitors is to be Gov. Christine Todd Whitman, who has chosen the working-class town as the setting for signing her latest 15-percent tax-cut measure into law.

Representative Bill Archer, the Texas Republican who heads the Ways and Means Committee, said he could hardly wait to present the tax-cut measure to the people during the Congressional recess.