WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Barack Obama is meeting with a bipartisan delegation from Congress, following up on his call for additional government action to improve the nation's employment numbers.
Congressional leaders met with Obama in the White House's Cabinet Room early Wednesday to hash out differences over the president's plan to use money from the $700 billion financial bailout program to bring down the 10 percent jobless rate.
Obama proposes new spending for highway and bridge construction, for small business tax cuts and for making homes more energy efficient. He wants to extend unemployment insurance and to help laid-off workers keep their health insurance.
Lawmakers estimate a jobs bill could cost $150 billion, or even more.