Bush says US economy needs 550 billion dollar tax cut to grow.

(From Agence France Presse)

President George W. Bush insisted that Congress pass at least 550 billion dollars in tax cuts as he turned his attention from the Iraq war to the struggling US economy.

Bush called for urgent measures to return to growth in response to Congress' moves to cutback his planned 726 billion tax cuts over the next decade.

The war, economic recession and the aftermath of the September 11 attacks forced the United States into deficit, Bush said in a speech to owners of small businesses.

"We need tax relief of at least 550 billion dollars to make sure our economy grows," he said, arguing that the bigger tax cut he first …