President Barack Obama is urging Republican leaders to stop blocking the jobs bill stalled in Congress.
Speaking at the White House, the president said there would be plenty of time for politics but that this issue should not fall victim to partisanship.
His brief remarks Thursday followed more bad economic news. Jobless claims have risen and the Federal Reserve in Philadelphia said that manufacturing in the mid-Atlantic states has dropped. It is the fourth rise in jobless claims in the past five weeks and reaches the highest level since November.
Obama said that 60 percent of job losses are coming from small businesses, the sector that under a strong economy hires the most workers.
© Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.