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Now that President Obama has laid out his budget and plans for reviving the economy, it's up to Congress to put them into action. But lawmakers are deeply divided. Democrats say the federal government should take the lead in turning things around; Republicans insist that's a cynical ploy to pump up big government.

President Obama unveiled his budget for 2010 on Thursday. Democrats praised the president's commitment to expanding health care coverage, education funding and clean energy. Republicans were skeptical — especially about plans to raise taxes on businesses and wealthy households.

The Dow Jones industrial average fell Monday more than 3 percent, slipping below 7,000 for the first time since 1997. The markets are reacting to a variety of negative reports, everything from AIG's losses to Warren Buffett's comments over the weekend.

The nation's unemployment rate in February was 8.1 percent. The Labor Department reports more than 651,000 jobs were eliminated last month. Employers are cutting their payrolls and looking for other ways to cut costs as the recession takes a bite out of their sales and profits.

There was more bad economic news this week. Unemployment numbers climbed to 8.1 percent — the highest in a quarter of a century. Retail sales orders are down. The stock market dipped below 7,000 — the first time in a decade.

President Barack Obama Friday called the loss of 651,000 U.S. jobs in February "astounding." Obama was in Columbus, Ohio, to meet with police department recruits whose jobs were protected by the government stimulus package passed last month.

In his weekly radio address Saturday morning, President Obama said his $3.6 trillion budget proposal reflects the priorities of the voters he met on the campaign trail, but he acknowledged not everyone shares those priorities.

The Supreme Court ruled Wednesday people injured by drugs can file lawsuits against the manufacturers in state courts, even when the drugs involved had been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. The ruling came in the case of a guitarist who lost an arm because of a botched anti-nausea injection.

President Barack Obama spoke to a joint session of Congress for the first time last night before a national audience. He outlined an ambitious plan to repair the national economy, and reemphasized his commitment to health care, and education as top priorities. But some Republicans are skeptical of Obama's agenda.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton wrapped up her first overseas tour by attending a church service in the Chinese capital and meeting with women's leaders Sunday. She also suggested that by buying more U.S. treasury bonds, China would be helping its own economy.