President Barack Obama says top priorities for Congress should be increasing the minimum wage and reforming immigration.

Obama told a House Democratic retreat Friday that the party needs to stand up for the American dream of getting ahead.

He congratulates lawmakers for standing together to support increasing the government’s debt with no strings attached, which Congress approved this week.

He also thanks his party for supporting the “tough issue” of his health care law. He predicts people will look back on the troubled law and consider it “a monumental achievement.”

Obama did not mention an issue that’s created disagreement in the party. Obama wants greater leeway to make trade deals. But House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said this week that’s out of the question.

(AP)