House, Senate negotiators delay meeting on stimulus

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Senate and House of Representatives negotiators delayed on Wednesday a planned meeting to approve a $789 billion economic stimulus package to provide time for a briefing of House lawmakers, Democratic Senator Daniel Inouye said.

Inouye, chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee and one of the negotiators, did not say when the meeting would be rescheduled. But a senior Senate Democratic aide said that it would occur later on Wednesday after lawmakers review details.

However, a senior House Democratic aide said no deal had yet been reached on two highly controversial issues: federal funding for school construction and money for states that could be used for a variety of purposes. The aide said the delay was "more of a little hiccup but we'll have to see."