In a campaign-style speech to a meeting of House Democrats, Obama said Thursday that lawmakers made tough choices in enacting economic measures over the past year, including some that were unpopular.
Obama says that as a result, America is moving forward again, there is economic growth, and job losses have slowed.
The president says too many people remain unemployed and that some are angry and anxious. To address that, he says there will be a "sustained and relentless focus" in the coming months on creating jobs.