13Aug11

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Obama urges Congress to approve job creation proposals

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U.S. President Barack Obama on Saturday called for Congress to act on his proposals to stimulate the economy and create jobs, emphasizing putting the American people first.

"There are things Congress can do, right now," Obama said in his weekly radio and Internet address.

The president listed several initiatives he's pushing, including trade deals, improvements to the patent system and an extension of a cut in the tax that workers pay to fund Social Security.

"Over the coming weeks, I'll put forward more proposals to help our businesses hire and create jobs, and won't stop until every American who wants a job can find one," Obama said, adding that partisan politics needs to be put aside.

"We can no longer let partisan brinksmanship get in our way -- the idea that making it through the next election is more important than making things right," the president said.

Republicans charge that Obama has failed to grow the economy. They also claim the government has burdened businesses with tightened regulations and has discouraged companies from expanding and hiring.

The U.S. unemployment rate, currently at 9.1 percent, remains the key challenge of the Obama administration. The economy grew just 1.3 percent in the second quarter of this year.

[Source: Xinhua, Washington, 13Aug11]

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