A Sneak Preview of the House's Economic Recovery Bill

Even before he took office last week, President Barack Obama began a vigorous campaign to mobilize support for a massive economic stimulus initiative to combat a deepening recession that has already driven the unemployment rate sharply higher and is threatening even worse economic pain for millions of Americans.

To have a realistic chance of success, the president has consistently emphasized that such a program must be implemented swiftly, so as to provide a significant jolt to the sputtering economy. And with the release of the House Appropriations Committee’s economic stimulus bill last week, it appears that legislators on Capitol Hill have heeded the president’s call.