![Ann Owen](https://www.hamilton.edu/assets/mmlibrary/images/185x/annowen_1.jpg)
Ann Owen, the Henry Platt Bristol Professor of Economics, was interviewed for a story on NPR on Feb. 17 after Congress approved legislation to continue a payroll tax holiday and extend benefits for the long-term unemployed.
The piece, which was heard on North Country Public Radio, noted that though there are signs that the economy is improving, it is fragile. Owen, a former economist at the Federal Reserve, warned, "If you withdrew the stimulus, consumer spending would be less."