Monday, August 09, 2010
Obama to push aid package for U.S. states
AUSTIN, Texas - President Barack Obama will make a pitch on Tuesday for a $26 billion aid package for states and local governments, which he says is needed to avoid teacher layoffs and help the U.S. economy.
The House of Representatives has taken the rare step of cutting short its summer recess to return to the Capitol to vote on the measure, which has passed the Senate.
Obama is scheduled to deliver remarks in the White House Rose Garden at 11:40 a.m. (1540 GMT), on the same day the House will take up the bill. Teachers will join Obama at the event, according to White House spokesman Bill Burton.
The measure would send U.S. states $16.1 billion for Medicaid and $10 billion for schools in order to prevent states -- which could face budget shortfalls of more than $120 billion this year -- from cutting teachers' jobs and healthcare.
Republicans contend the bill would add to the deficit and reward some states that have been unwilling to face up to their budgetary problems.
Facing a wave of anti-Washington anger, Democrats hope passage of the measure will convince voters going to the polls November 2 of their commitment to bringing down the high U.S. unemployment rate, now at 9.5 percent.
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