Van Hollen: Second Stimulus Package Coming In September

Domestic oil drilling won’t be the only major congressional fight next month, as Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Chris Van Hollen said Tuesday he expects House Speaker Nancy Pelosi will unveil a second economic stimulus package sometime in September.

“Clearly we have a picture of increasing pressure on family pocketbooks,” Van Hollen said Tuesday on a conference call with reporters. “It is essential the federal government get involved again with a second stimulus.”

Van Hollen estimated the package would cost somewhere in the range of $50 billion--a figure which Pelosi cited last month--but said Democratic leaders are; “in the process right now of looking at how that stimulus breaks up.”

He stressed there have been “no final decisions" made, stating that numerous proposals were still under consideration.

However, Van Hollen highlighted the problems his home state of Maryland was having in the face of a major national economic downturn, focusing on the sharp increase in Medicare costs.

“The economy spirals down hill and that ends up putting the squeeze on families,” said Van Hollen, who stressed the stimulus package would include funding for states to deal with increased Medicaid costs.
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