In the News: Obama Pleads for Passage of Economic Plan

President-elect Barack Obama urged Congress to pass his economic aid package as soon as possible, warning that a failure to do so would have devastating long-term consequences for the country. Obama said his American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan would jump-start the ailing economy by creating more than 3 million jobs and investing heavily in education, energy and health care. The plan would, among other things, double production of alternative energy within three years, improve energy efficiency of buildings and homes, computerize medical records and equip all classrooms for the 21st century. It also would cut taxes for small businesses and middle-class workers. Experts estimate the price tag to be around $800 billion.

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