The economic forecast is looking brighter in large part because of actions by Democrats in Congress this year, U. S. President Barack Obama said on Thursday.

Obama said on Thursday at a Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee dinner at New York's St. Regis Hotel, "If we wanted to break the back of our recession and get our economy moving again, then the steps we took were absolutely necessary. And while we still have a long road ahead of us, we're beginning to see signs of progress all across America."

Obama told the crowd of fundraisers, "The economy that was shrinking a year ago, it's growing today. The economy that was bleeding jobs at a historic pace a year ago -- 750,000 jobs a month when I came in -- now we're creating jobs again. Our economic heartbeat keeps growing stronger. The steady progress we're seeing -- it didn't happen by accident. … The reason the economy is getting better is because Nancy Pelosi and every Democrat here embraced the responsibility to lead."

The president said before returning to Washington, "Yes, we're going to take some lumps. But we can now see the contours of what's a more prosperous, more secure future for America … where more families and businesses are free to chase their dreams backed up by the security of healthcare.

And we've got a government that works and is competent, and has restored science to its rightful place and believes in civil liberties. And we have some folks on the Supreme Court who believe in the Constitution. Now is the time to remind ourselves of what America is all about, and make sure we are working as hard as we can to return Democrats to the House of Representatives." (With Inputs from Agencies)