Democrats back Obama's call for economic stimulus

Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean (C), Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (L) and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (R) gather with other Democratic leaders to speaks about Barack Obama and the November election at DNC Headquarters in Washington June 10, 2008.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The top two Democrats in the U.S. Congress on Tuesday backed a call by their party's presidential candidate, Barack Obama, for a second economic stimulus package.

"We are going to do it," Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid, flanked by fellow party members, told a news conference at the offices of the National Democratic Committee.

Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi concurred but cautioned that Democrats "need to get something the administration will sign."

In a brief interview afterward, Pelosi said she would like to see a stimulus package of "at least $50 billion."

With the economy the top issue this election year, Obama has called for a second stimulus package costing $30 billion and accused his Republican opponent, Sen. John McCain of Arizona, of failing to recognize the depth of the problem.

Earlier this year, Congress and President George W. Bush collaborated to enact a $152 billion stimulus for the sagging economy comprised mostly of tax rebates that are now being delivered to voters, just months before the November presidential and congressional elections.

But with deepening joblessness, rising energy prices and other drags on the economy, Democrats have been clamoring for new legislation to further stimulate the economy.

(Reporting by Thomas Ferraro, editing by David Alexander)