WASHINGTON, DC: Republican senators on Friday ripped at a pared-down economic stimulus plan to pump $780bn into the US economy and warned President Barack Obama against strong-arming lawmakers to pass the bill.

"If this legislation is passed, it will be a very bad day for America," Senator John McCain of Arizona said on the Senate floor.

"I had some Orwellian experiences here in the Senate over the years that I have been here, but this one ranks up near the top in the word bipartisanship that's being thrown around as far as this package is concerned."

South Dakota Senator John Thune called the stimulus package "the largest inter-generational transfer of debt in human history."

The bill's supporters noted that its price tag would be far smaller than the $937bn previously under consideration, a reduction aimed at winning over elusive Republican support that was entirely absent when the House of Representatives passed its version of the measure last week.

Under pressure from the White House, lawmakers were to take up by next week the compromise hatched by a group of swing-vote Republicans and Democrats.

Republican South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham lashed out against Obama for the president's biting attack on Republicans late Thursday to drum up support for the bill.

"But that speech last night--I'm sure you're not, but if you are listening, think twice about doing that again," Graham warned.

"I hope it is okay for you to believe that I'm somewhat concerned about the process here and how we wound up spending $1.1 trillion," Graham said.

"Please don't say that this is change I can believe. And please don't underestimate how the public is pulling for you but they don't like this bill."

Graham was also sharply critical, saying an opportunity to "start over" had been squandered.

"We've sunk back into the swamp. We've spent more money than we should. History will not judge us well. And the hard part is yet to be done," he said.

Republicans were eager to put the brakes on the bill, calling into question Obama's push for its passage of what would be more than one billion dollars in spending, including interest, before the mid-February break.

"Let's slow down. Let's take our time," said Senator Mike Johanns of Nebraska. "Few things are going to be as important as this."

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said most Republicans had little faith that the stimulus would work.

"All the historical evidence suggests that it's highly unlikely to work and so then you have to balance the likelihood of success versus the crushing debt that we're levying on the backs of our children, our grandchildren, and, yes, their children." (AFP)