The US Democratic-led House of Representatives has overwhelmingly approved a bill to slap punishing taxes on big employee bonuses from American International Group and other firms bailed out by taxpayers.
![US President Barack Obama (R) with US Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner makes a statement on AIG on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington on March 18, 2009 before his departure to California. [Yuri Gripas/CCTV/AFP]](http://images.china.cn/attachement/jpg/site1007/20090320/000cf1a487730b2d92f124.jpg "US President Barack Obama (R) with US Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner makes a statement on AIG on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington on March 18, 2009 before his departure to California. [Yuri Gripas/CCTV/AFP]") |
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US President Barack Obama (R) with US Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner makes a statement on AIG on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington on March 18, 2009 before his departure to California. [Yuri Gripas/CCTV/AFP]
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In all, 243 Democrats and 85 Republicans voted "yes" on the bill. The bonuses total 165 million US dollars.
They were paid to employees of troubled insurer AIG, including traders in the unit that nearly brought about the company's collapse.
Thursday's victory came despite sharp criticism from some Republicans. They called the legislation a legally questionable ploy to paper over missteps by US President Barack Obama's administration.
(CCTV March 20, 2009)
