President-elect Barack Obama and his family returned to Chicago on Friday after a 12-day holiday vacation in Hawaii. ...more

January 3, 2009

Obama promotes a recovery plan that would feature spending on roads and infrastructure, schools, and green technology. ...more

December 18, 2008

A $14 billion rescue package for the nation's imperiled auto industry passed 237-170 in the House Wednesday night, but the emergency bailout was still in jeopardy from Republicans who were setting out roadblocks in the Senate. ...more

December 11, 2008

Congressional Democrats on Monday sent the White House a draft of a roughly $15 billion auto bailout they aim to bring to a vote this week, but White House officials gave a cool initial response. ...more

December 8, 2008

Facing massive job losses, the White House and congressional Democrats are negotiating a deal to provide about $15 billion in loans to prevent Detroit's weakened auto industry from collapsing. ...more

December 6, 2008

Jolted by the loss of thousands of jobs, congressional Democrats and the White House reached for agreement Friday on about $15 billion in bailout loans for the beleaguered auto industry. President George W. Bush warned that at least one of the Big Three carmakers might not survive the current economic crisis. ...more

December 5, 2008

Facing severe cutbacks in state services as the recession deepens, the nation's governors pressed their case on Capitol Hill on Monday, asking for at least $40 billion to help pay for health care for the poor and disabled. ...more

December 2, 2008

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Saturday the House would provide aid to the ailing U.S. auto industry, requiring that the industry meet new fuel-efficiency standards, produce advanced vehicles and restructure "to ensure their long-term economic viability." ...more

November 16, 2008

Democratic leaders in Congress asked the Bush administration Saturday to provide more aid to the struggling auto industry, which is bleeding cash and jobs. ...more

November 9, 2008

DETROIT — At Ford Motor Co. they called it "Blue," a team set up around the year 2000 to design an array of small, fuel-efficient cars to compete with the Japanese. ...more

November 8, 2008