With the bulk of the $787 billion stimulus package still unspent, some lawmakers say, President Obama should not be adding yet another $13 billion to the deficit by funding a one-time $250 Social Security payment.

The complaints are coming from Republicans, who see last February’s recovery act as a fiscal blunder that has failed to stem rising unemployment. In some cases, such as the Social Security checks, they see the pot of money still waiting to be spent as a way to head off additional deficit spending in other areas.

After Obama called on Congress to approve the lump-sum payment to Social Security recipients to make up for not getting a cost-of-living increase, House Minority Leader John Boehner said he’d be “happy” to support it — so long as Congress takes the money out of the stimulus.

Full Story