Obama presses republican lawmakers to pass jobs bill

U.S. President Barack Obama on Monday pushed again for Republican lawmakers to approve his proposed jobs bill that he says will create jobs and stimulate the struggling U.S. economy. Speaking to an audience in North Carolina at the onset of his three-day bus tour in the state and Virginia, President Obama cited statistics he said that showed his new jobs proposals would put teachers and construction workers back on the job, and help boost job creation in general. "But apparently none of this matters to the Republicans in the Senate. Because last week they got together to block this bill," the U.S. president said. The speech came at a time where campaigns for the 2012 presidential elections are underway. President Obama suggested to his audience that Republicans' own election efforts would be in danger they failed to act this week on the first effort by Democrats in Congress to advance an individual part of his "American Jobs Act." The president's efforts to get his entire $447 billion bill passed were blocked by Senate Republicans, leaving President Obama and his Democratic allies to push for the proposals contained in the bill to be passed piece by piece. "We're going to give members of Congress another chance to step up to the plate and do the right thing," Obama said. "We're going to give them another chance to do their jobs by looking after your jobs."