All eyes were on U.S. president Barack Obama Friday as he talked about American economic woes as well as the debt crisis in Europe.

Obama is calling on congress to pass proposals that he said would put construction workers, teachers and first responders back to work.

Obama said people in Washington need to focus on keeping the recovery going and the keeping economy strong, and that means putting people back to work, including teachers and construction workers.

He said the U.S. private sector is doing a good job creating jobs, but the big challenge is that state and local governments need to do more hiring, not more layoffs.

Obama said the U.S. and Europe need to a strategy for growth and debt and deficit stabilitazation.

“That recipe of short-term investments in growth and jobs, with a long-term path of fiscal responsibility is the right approach to take,” Obama said.

The ongoing economic woes in Europe continue to a thorn in the side for the U.S.  Obama is urging Europe’s leaders to act quickly to solve the continent’s economic crisis.

He added there is worry about Europe possibly going into recession, meaning Americans are selling fewer goods and services to their largest trading partner, slowing the U.S. economy.