(Washington, DC) -- The national jobless rate will probably remain high for some time, according to top Obama administration officials. In a House hearing, White House economist Christina Romer said, "Because of the severe toll the recession has taken on the labor market, unemployment is likely to remain elevated for an extended period." Romer praised the massive economic stimulus that President Obama signed last year and insisted that it is working. She said things would be much worse without it. That claim was challenged by Georgia Republican Jack Kingston, who said there have been more "Elvis sightings" than jobs created by the stimulus.
Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and White House budget chief Peter Orszag are also testifying. Geithner said administration policies are slowly prompting a turnaround from the long recession. Once "strong growth" has been restored to the U.S. economy, Geithner argued that aggressive deficit reduction must commence. Orszag cited the bipartisan commission that the President has formed to study ways to tackle deficits and debt.
