Brown addresses US Congress

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown took his message of faith in free markets to the US Congress, where lawmakers have been eager to protect American businesses against foreign competition.

Brown addressed Congress yesterday, one day after he became the first European leader to meet with President Barack Obama in the White House. The speech to a joint meeting of Congress, an honor reserved for close US allies, was a useful stage for Brown, who is seeking a boost at home from his US visit.

On Tuesday, Brown looked to coordinate US and British approaches to fix the world economy. The two leaders sat down in the Oval Office for about an hour and shared a working lunch afterward in the White House's residence area.