U.S. President Barack Obama is calling on Congress to pass his job-creation legislation by the end of this month.

President Obama said Monday that governmental agencies are trying to see what they can do administratively to boost job growth. But he said that ultimately congressional action is needed on his $447 billion proposal.

Speaking at the start of a Cabinet meeting, the president said he would meet with congressional leaders about the urgency in passing the legislation. His proposal would boost spending for construction jobs to help repair the nation’s highways and schools, and trim payroll taxes for all American workers. Republican lawmakers have said they like parts of the proposal but are unlikely to pass it as one piece of legislation.

Mr. Obama, a Democrat, said that Republicans should be prepared to say what they do not like about the proposal. The president is running for another four-year term in 2012 and has made several campaign-like appearances around the country in the last month, calling for passage of the legislation.

The U.S. economy has been growing very slowly, with the unemployment rate stuck around 9 percent or higher for more than two years. About 14 million workers are unemployed, with millions more working only part-time or in jobs they consider beneath their skill level.