US President Barack Obama announced guidelines on Friday aimed at preventing lobbyists from influencing projects under the US$787-billion stimulus package.

"The American people are watching what we do," Obama told a representatives of state legislatures meeting at a White House event. "There's little room for error here, especially in a time for crisis."

He vowed that his administration will "do everything in our power" to prevent taxpayer dollars from slipping through the cracks and being diverted from projects that create jobs.

"No plan is perfect. And I can't stand here and promise you that not one dollar will slip through the cracks. But what I can promise you is that we will do everything in our power to prevent that from happening," Obama said.

The president said he has nixed a request to update electrical and heating systems in the East Wing of the White House, the first family's residence.

"I'm not willing to ask all of you to do what I'm not willing to do myself, we're going to set an example here in the White House," Obama said.

"Because this request does not meet the high standards that I have set, because it will not create many jobs or advance our recovery, it will not be funded under the recovery act," he explained.

(Xinhua News Agency March 21, 2009)