Obama, congressional leaders meet

WASHINGTON, Jan. 23 (UPI) -- President Barack Obama said Friday a massive U.S. economic stimulus plan appears to be on target to win congressional approval by mid-February.

"I want to thank both the House and the Senate for moving forward very diligently on this process of getting a recovery and renewal plan passed," Obama said during a meeting with congressional leaders at the White House. "I know that it is a heavy lift to do something as substantial as we're doing right now."

Recognizing there were differences on how to address the swooning U.S. economy between Democrats and Republicans, and between Congress and the White House, Obama said, "I think what unifies this group is a recognition that we are experiencing an unprecedented ... economic crisis that has to be dealt with, and dealt with rapidly."

The quick movement on the $850 billion package in the House means "it appears that we are on target to make our Presidents Day weekend," Obama said.

Also expressing confidence of meeting the president's deadline, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said the Obama administration "strikes me as open to our suggestions, and we made a number of them."

Rep. John Boehner, R-Ohio, the House minority leader, said he and other Republicans remained concerned about the size of the package and the some of the spending.

That said, "I think we had a very productive meeting with the president and the vice president and our Democrat colleagues," he said. "There's unanimity that our economy needs help."

As the meeting concluded, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said, "There wasn't a single person who didn't feel we could work through it. It was a bipartisan discussion."