Obama urges quick passage of stimulus plan

U.S. President Barack Obama took his economic message on the road Monday as he urged lawmakers to quickly pass a stimulus bill.

Obama spoke at a town hall meeting Elkhart, Ind., a region that has seen its unemployment rate climb to 15 per cent, due in part to falling demand for the recreational vehicles that are produced in the area.

The U.S. Senate is still working on its version of a stimulus bill, which will carry a price tag of more than $800 billion US. A vote on the Senate bill is expected Tuesday. The U.S. House of Representatives has already passed its version of the bill. The two chambers will have to negotiate on a single piece of legislation that will eventually be sent to Obama.

On Monday, he again urged the lawmakers to work quickly.

"I can say with complete confidence that endless delay or paralysis in Washington in the face of this crisis will only bring deepening disaster," Obama said.

Obama spoke just days after the U.S. government reported that employers shed 598,000 jobs from their payrolls in January. Roughly 3.6 million U.S. jobs have disappeared in the economic downturn.

Monday will also see Obama hold his first prime-time televised press conference. He is due to speak at 8 p.m. ET.