Articles

“An economic stimulus plan worth up to $600 billion and including key elements of President-elect Barack Obama’s plan for a greener, more energy-efficient economy will pass the House before the inauguration, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi predicted Monday.”

“The House comfortably passed a $14 billion emergency loan package late Wednesday aimed at keeping the Big Three automakers in business, but the package’s future was in flux amid stiff resistance from Senate Republicans.”

“Faced with staggering new unemployment figures, Democratic Congressional leaders said on Friday that they were ready to provide a short-term rescue plan for American automakers, and that they expected to hold a vote on the legislation in a special session next week.”

“President-elect Barack Obama and leaders in Congress are fashioning a plan to pour billions of dollars into a jobs program to jolt the economy and lay the groundwork for a more energy-efficient one.”

“Democratic congressional leaders, eager to trumpet that change has come to Washington, are looking to enact quickly a series of popular bills in January in such areas as renewable energy, children’s health care and embryonic stem-cell research.”

“House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called for a two-stage effort to boost the shaky U.S. economy: a $60 billion-to-$100 billion stimulus package this month, followed early next year by a companion measure that would include a ‘permanent tax cut.'”

“Congressional Democrats vowed Wednesday to use their expanded majorities to consider legislation on stem cell research and health insurance for children, but they said bolstering the economy would be the first priority.”

“Congress should pass a second economic stimulus bill that could include tax cuts, an extension of unemployment benefits, or funds for roads and bridges, say a majority of economists polled recently by USA TODAY.”

“It took only 13 words from Fed chief Ben Bernanke to signal that another shot in the arm for the faltering U.S. economy may be coming. As congressional Democrats push for a boost aimed at Main Street costing at least $150 billion, the public face of the nation’s central bank recently threw his considerable weight behind a ‘significant’ stimulus measure in typically understated fashion. ‘Consideration of a fiscal package by the Congress at this juncture,’ Bernanke said, ‘seems appropriate.'”

“Congress has slated a wave of hearings on economic, finance and regulatory issues, reflecting Democrats’ growing ambitions in the final weeks of the 2008 election campaign.”