Bush calls for action on economy; hails Iraq progress

CAPITOL HILL (AP) — President Bush is asking Congress to quickly pass a plan to rescue the economy.

Last night, he called on lawmakers to urgently approve a $150 billion plan worked out with House leaders to stave off recession through tax rebates for families and incentives for
businesses to invest in new plants and equipment.

But he also used his final State of the Union address to scold lawmakers for slipping costly, special-interest projects into bills, promising to use his veto pen to cut them.

And he urged the nation to be patient on troop withdrawals from Iraq.

Bush restated that any further drawdown of troops would be based on the continued success on the ground and repeated the warning of General David Petraeus that moving too quickly on withdrawals could disintegrate Iraqi forces, embolden al-Qaida in Iraq, and increase
violence.