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Obama Aide: President Seeks Quick Stimulus Action
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President Barack Obama turned up the pressure on lawmakers Thursday, urging them to pass an economic stimulus package.
As Senate moderates from both parties met to try to cut as much as $100 billion from the package, the president said: "Time for talk is over."
Melody Barnes, director of the White House Domestic Policy Council, says Obama is interested in moving the stimulus measure forward quickly.
Conversations
"We didn't throw a dart at a dartboard; didn't pick a number," Barnes tells NPR's Robert Siegel. "We were looking for a balance in about $275 billion in tax cuts, about $550 billion in spending, as we believe that would push money out of the door very quickly and also stimulate the economy in the right way."
Barnes says Obama met Wednesday with Republican Sen. Olympia Snowe of Maine and Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson of Florida to talk about their concerns and proposals.
"He wants to have those conversations, but he also wants this process to move forward," she says.
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Buy American Provision
Advocates of free trade in the Senate, mostly Republicans, want the bill's "Buy American" provision removed, but Democrats want to retain it so preference is given to U.S. steel and other materials to be used for bridges, roads and schools. Obama says he's against anything that might trigger a trade war.
"The president ... appreciates the concerns of the constituencies that all members of Congress are hearing from, and the concerns that people have," Barnes says. "Again, there's a conversation that's under way, and all of this is in an effort to come up with the best possible bill. Again, he just wants to make sure that happens expeditiously."
Barnes says Obama is seeking major Republican support for the measure because he wants to be inclusive. She says Obama came to Washington not only to get the American people's business done, but to do it in a way that reflects their highest values and principles.
"That includes having a conversation with people of all ideological stripes and to move forward," Barnes says.
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