Washington, Oct 29 (IANS): The Obama administration Friday announced new executive branch efforts to help job creation in the nation's private sector.
US President Barack Obama Friday told federal government agencies to help high-growth businesses accelerate technology transfer and commercialisation process, and to help small businesses and exporters to access government services, reported Xinhua
This was the administration's latest pitch to circumvent Congress to shore up job creation and economic growth.
Facing a sluggish economic growth and stubbornly high unemployment rate now at 9.1 percent, Obama unveiled a $447 billion jobs plan on Sept. 8, which includes measures like payroll tax cuts for employers and employees as well as new investment in infrastructure projects.
However, Republican Senators scuttled the jobs package on Oct 11, and a portion of the bill, which provided $35 billion to state and local governments to prevent layoffs of teachers, police officers and firefighters, failed to advance in the Senate on Oct 20.
The White House was taking a host of small-bore executive branch moves to bypass the Congress obstruction to boost the weak economy this week, including helping more distressed homeowners refinance their loans and helping students manage their loan debt.