The IMF said Thursday it hopes the U.S. Congress will approve President Barack Obama's request for $108 billion for the multilateral institution. “I believe they [the Obama administration] are working hard to win approval of the legislation, so we look forward to that outcome,” IMF spokeswoman Caroline Atkinson said in Washington. “There has been some significant progress, but of course it's essential that the U.S. should support it. We also note there have been strong efforts by the president, who has written to the leaders of Congress,” Atkinson told reporters. Asked about the prospect of a congressional refusal of the funding request, Atkinson replied, “That's a hypothetical question.” Congress is currently debating the U.S. contribution, which has been approved by a Senate committee but not included in legislation in the House of Representatives. The Obama administration asked Congress to approve the funding after the president, at a Group of 20 summit in London last month, pledged to increase IMF funding to help countries survive the global economic crisis.
