'Pass this bill!'

• Obama urges lawmakers to forge ahead with jobs plan

OHIO (AP):

Urging Congress to follow his lead, President Barack Obama yesterday lobbied lawmakers to adopt his $450 billion jobs plan, promising it would boost a hurting construction industry. "My question to Congress is, what on earth are we waiting for?" argued Obama.

From a high school in the critical electoral state of Ohio, Obama delivered a fiery speech to plug his plan. The audience was receptive to the point of adopting his refrain and chanting it back to him, shouting: "Pass this bill!"

The event had the feel of an Obama re-election event, right down to the music that played as Obama came out to speak, suit coat off and sleeves rolled up on a sunny day. He tailored his latest pitch to how his proposed legislation would help education, built around a $25 billion spending initiative for school renovations.

In Ohio alone, Obama said, the bill would create jobs for tens of thousands of construction workers.

Yet Republican lawmakers who control the House flatly oppose his plans to pay for his plan by raising taxes on wealthier Americans.