Obama unlikely to receive stimulus package before inauguration

Kazakhstan News.Net
Sunday 4th January, 2009

Congressional leaders in the US say it is unlikely that a major stimulus package will be ready for Barack Obama's signature before he is sworn in as president on January 20th.

Calls for swift action to revive America's sinking economy have been dampened, with legislators from both sides of politics saying the bill will need more time to be reviewed, debated and passed.

The largest economic-stimulus package in US history will require bipartisan agreement for what will cost the US one trillion-dollars.

President-elect Obama has called for massive federal spending to spur job creation in areas such as infrastructure, energy, education and health-care reform.

While Republicans have agreed new initiatives are needed, many have expressed a preference for cutting taxes before entering into a massive spending program.

Congressional Democrats will be unable to force spending bills as they fall just short of the majority that would allow them to get legislation passed without Republican agreement.

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