Energy News  
US Economy To Take Only Short-Term Hit From Katrina: White House

Economists have expressed concern that the reconstruction spending could swell a US budget deficit that is already groaning from the impact of huge tax cuts coupled with military spending in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Washington (AFP) Sep 19, 2005
Hurricane Katrina will have only a short-term hit on the US economy and the government can afford the huge reconstruction spending that it plans, the White House said Monday.

"This storm has had an impact, and it will have a short-term impact on our national economy," White House spokesman Scott McClellan told reporters.

"It's going to have an impact in the short term on the upcoming quarters that we'll see coming out in terms of growth and job creation," he said.

"But I think if you look at what most economists are saying, they continue to see strong and sustained growth as we move forward."

Analysts including forecasters at the Congressional Budget Office say Katrina could shave 0.5 to 1.0 percentage points off US growth over the next two quarters.

The hurricane dented US oil production on the Gulf Coast after battering the worst-hit states of Louisiana and Mississippi.

President George W. Bush has promised "one of the largest reconstruction efforts ever" in the flooded city of New Orleans, McClellan recalled.

"The president made clear that the infrastructure is going to be costly. But the federal government is going to be there to pick up a large portion of those costs," he said.

Economists have expressed concern that the reconstruction spending could swell a US budget deficit that is already groaning from the impact of huge tax cuts coupled with military spending in Iraq and Afghanistan.

McClellan said the longer-term bill from Katrina was still being evaluated.

"But the president recognizes the significant costs that are going to be borne by the federal government relating to the Katrina rebuilding efforts needs to be offset by additional cuts elsewhere in the budget," he said.

"And that's why we are working with Congress to identify areas where we can cut, and those areas would be the unnecessary spending."

Community
Email This Article
Comment On This Article

Related Links
SpaceDaily
Search SpaceDaily
Subscribe To SpaceDaily Express
Bringing Order To A World Of Disasters
A world of storm and tempest
When the Earth Quakes



Memory Foam Mattress Review
Newsletters :: SpaceDaily :: SpaceWar :: TerraDaily :: Energy Daily
XML Feeds :: Space News :: Earth News :: War News :: Solar Energy News


ISRO Developing Ocean Bottom Warning Sensors
Bangalore, India (SPX) Jan 11, 2006
Indian Space Research Organisation is developing ocean bottom sensors that will help warn tsunami strikes in advance, the Press Trust Of India reports.







  • Oil Prices Surge On Storm Rita, Before OPEC Decision
  • ORNL, Princeton Partners In Five-Year Fusion Project
  • Oil Prices Drop After OPEC Lowers Demand For Crude
  • Helping Out A High-Temperature Superconductor

  • Scorpene Deal Will Ensure Nuke Supply
  • Russia To Build Nuke Waste Facility
  • Death, Environmental Toll From Chernobyl Less Than Feared: Report
  • China Won't Sign On To PSI

  • Getting To The TOPP Of Houston's Air Pollution
  • Scientists Seek Sprite Light Source



  • Analysis: N.Korea No Longer Wants Food Aid?
  • Novel Compounds Show Promise As Safer, More Potent Insecticides
  • Agriculture Reviving In Aceh After Tsunami: Scientists
  • Analysis: EU Farm Aid Under Spotlight

  • German Car Makers Scramble To Jump On Hybrid Engine Bandwagon
  • Could Katrina Kill The SUV?
  • SUV Drivers Beware: Paris Can Be A Deflating Experience
  • Mitsubishi, TEPCO To Team Up On Electric Car: Report

  • Chinese Airline Signs Deal To Buy Eight Boeing 787 Aircraft
  • Moseley: Future Of The Air Force
  • Global Tanker Team To Deliver Boeing Advanced Aerial-Refueling Tanker
  • Sizing Up The Future Of Air Travel

  • NASA plans to send new robot to Jupiter
  • Los Alamos Hopes To Lead New Era Of Nuclear Space Tranportion With Jovian Mission
  • Boeing Selects Leader for Nuclear Space Systems Program
  • Boeing-Led Team to Study Nuclear-Powered Space Systems

  • The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2006 - SpaceDaily.AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA PortalReports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additionalcopyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by SpaceDaily on any Web page published or hosted by SpaceDaily. Privacy Statement