Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and President-elect Barack Obama met to discuss plans for a massive economic stimulus package Monday morning in the Speaker’s Capitol Hill office, just steps away from where Obama will take the oath of office in two weeks.

“Obviously the inauguration stage is being built in the background, but the reason we’re here today is the people’s business can’t wait,” Obama told reporters.

Obama, who will be sworn in as president on Jan. 20, said that amid the gloomy job reports, he wants to quickly implement an economic recovery and investment package to start putting people back to work.

“I can’t think of a better partner … than Speaker Nancy Pelosi,” he said.

Pelosi added that the House would begin work immediately on the plan and that she hoped to have legislation signed into law in a few weeks.

“We’re going to hit the ground running,” she said.

Democratic leaders had hoped to get an economic bill to Obama’s desk by Inauguration Day, but they have since backed off. Leaders now hope to get the package through both chambers and signed into law in early February.