This is the VOA Special English Economics Report.

President Obama and his wife Michelle traveled to the states of North Carolina and Virginia this week. The Obamas were seeking support forthe president's four hundred forty-seven billion dollar jobs plan.

The American Jobs Act calls for cutting wage taxes on most businesses. It seeks to prevent public employees like teachers, police and firefighters from losing their jobs to budget cutting measures. And it calls for more federal spending on roads and transportation infrastructure to help create jobs.

Last week, the Senate blocked a vote on the full bill.

On Sunday, the Majority Leader in the House of Representatives said some parts of the bill are like those in a plan put forward by the Republican Party. Eric Cantor urged President Obama to find common ground with House Republicans.

ERIC CANTOR: "We want the president to work with us. We want him to stop campaigning. Let's go find the things that are in common between this plan and his."