Obama: Ohio to benefit by 142,000 jobs

February 4, 2009 at 12:00a.m.

WASHINGTON (AP) — White House officials said Tuesday its economic stimulus plan would create or save more than 800,000 new jobs in 10 Eastern states.

The number in Ohio would be 142,000 jobs, and in Pennsylvania, 152,000.

The new estimates were released by the Obama administration as talks continue in Congress over a massive recovery plan to inject almost $1 trillion into the economy.

Republicans are resisting bills in the House and Senate, because they believe they include wasteful spending and won’t do enough to spur job creation. GOP lawmakers are pressing for more tax cuts in the stimulus.

Larry Summers, one of President Barack Obama’s top economic advisers, said the government must spend money to revive an economy that lost more than 2 million jobs over the past year.

“The pace of job loss is accelerating,” Summers said in a briefing with reporters Tuesday.

The White House says its version of the stimulus plan will create or save 3 million to 4 million jobs over the next two years.

A package of government spending and tax cuts is working its way through Congress. It would be the largest economic stimulus package ever enacted.

The $885 billion Senate economic plan faces assaults from both Democrats and Republicans during debate this week.