	u s treasury s baker sees expansion continuing treasury secretary james baker said that the current expansion which he noted was in its fifth year will continue in the period ahead he told the house appropriations committee that there is every prospect that the current expansion will continue unabated through and the years beyond baker said  rates over the period have continued to decline and that policies of the federal reserve assure that ample credit was available he said that the administration s longer term forecast envisioned that we will maintain and improve upon our progress in bringing down the rate of inflation reuter 
