NATIONAL­—Obama’s economic advisor warns Europe debt is top threat to U.S. recovery

Alan Krueger, chairman of the White House Council of Economic Advisers, said Tuesday that the European debt crisis is the top threat to U.S. financial recovery. Krueger has warned that failure of European leaders to take action in the debt crisis could lead to problems not only for the U.S. economy but also for President Barack Obama’s re-election plans. “Clearly, Europe is a tremendous concern. I think that the Europeans have the capacity to solve their problems. It is important they act quickly, because it is a threat not only to Europe and the U.S., but the world as a whole,” Krueger said in a press conference.

NATIONAL—Perry announces plan for a part-time Congress

Republican Presidential Candidate Rick Perry announced a plan to make Congress work part-time as part of a bigger U.S. government overhaul if he becomes president. “Congress is out of touch because Congressmen are overpaid, over-staffed and away from home too much,” Perry said at a campaign stop in Iowa. “It’s time to create a part-time Congress where their pay is cut in half, their office budgets are cut in half, and their time in Washington is cut in half. And if they do not submit a budget that balances by 2020 as my plan calls for, we should cut their pay in half again.”