Obama met with Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), and other Congressional leaders Monday to discuss the scope and timing of a bipartisan economic recovery package.

"He talked about extending a hand of friendship, to work with civility, with fiscal responsibility, and with a sense of urgency, because the American people are hurting," Pelosi said.

According to The Hill Newspaper, Pelosi said Thursday she will keep Congress in session through the President's Day recess if an economic stimulus package isn't completed by then.

Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) said any recovery bill would need time.

"We agree with President-elect Obama that taking action to turn the economy around is job one. We also agree, though, that every dollar needs to be spent wisely and not wasted in the rush to get it spent," he said.

"And we believe that his admonition to go through the federal budget - page by page, line by line, eliminating those programs we don't need and insisting that those we do operate in a sensible cost-effective way - should apply to this, potentially the largest spending bill ever considered by the Congress," he added.

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