As a Senate vote to approve an $827 billion economic stimulus package looms, a majority of Americans have not only made the economy and jobs their top priority but they have been fairly consistent in favoring legislation which is meant to give a boost to both at a time of financial crisis for the nation.

Fifty-two percent of Americans were in favor of approving a stimulus package proposed, according to results of a survey conducted this week by in a USA Today/Gallup poll. The results have been fairly consistent since the group began its survey in early January.

Americans also overwhelmingly said in a poll conducted by the Pew Research Center in late January that they were focusing on money issues. The economy and jobs were considered top priorities for 2009 by 85 percent and 82 percent of those people polled.

A vote on the package is set for Monday as legislators in Washington worked out a deal to balance competing priorities of tax cuts and spending. Sen. Ben Nelson of Nebraska told the Associated Press Friday that the package included $350 billion in tax cuts.

Pressure to pass the legislation grew on Friday after a government report indicated that the nation had lost 598,000 jobs in January as the unemployment rate rose to 7.6 percent. The country's economy has been in a recession since the end of 2007, losing 3.6 million jobs in total since then.

These numbers demand action, President Obama said soon after the numbers were released as he introduced an economic advisory board which would offer independent views on ways to help the economy improve.

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