Obama to Send Jobs Bill to Congress Monday

Posted September 12th, 2011 at 4:56 am (UTC-5)
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U.S. President Barack Obama will formally ask Congress Monday to pass his recently announced $450 billion legislation aimed at creating jobs and averting fears of a second recession in the world’s biggest economy.

A White House official says the president will use a ceremony in the Rose Garden to call on lawmakers to pass the “American Jobs Act,” then send the text of the bill to Congress Monday night.

Mr. Obama introduced his plan Thursday during a joint session of Congress. The plan would cut taxes for workers and businesses, and fund projects that would employ construction workers. The proposal also includes initiatives to put people to work repairing and modernizing roads, railways, airports, waterways and at least 35,000 schools.

The president has said he will unveil a corresponding deficit reduction plan by next Monday that will explain how his administration plans to cover the cost of the proposal.

Many critics of the bill are skeptical, saying the legislation amounts to another “economic stimulus” package that would further add to the nation’s growing debt.

The president will head to the states of Ohio and North Carolina promoting the bill later in the week.

Recent U.S. government figures have shown job creation at a standstill, as concerns grow over the possibility of a second recession.

The U.S. unemployment rate stands at 9.1 percent. About 14 million workers are unemployed and millions more are working part-time or in jobs they consider below their skill level.