Obama urges passage of stimulus bill

President-elect Barack Obama called on Congress today to pass his proposed $1 trillion American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan quickly in order to aid the ailing U.S. economy. Describing his proposal as not just a “public-works program,” the president-elect said in a speech at George Mason University in Fairfax, Va., that the stimulus plan would help generate 3 million jobs over the next few years. The stimulus plan proposal calls for investments in alternative energy, education, health care and the nation’s infrastructure, with 95% of households receiving a $1,000 tax cut. Some of the ambitious goals Mr. Obama would like to see accomplished from the massive spending plan are doubling the country’s production of alternative energy and making medical records computerized by 2014. "I don't believe it's too late to change course, but it will be if we don't take dramatic action as soon as possible,” Mr. Obama said in his speech.