Watch Live: President Obama on the American Jobs Act in North Carolina

Ed. Note: The event has now ended. Watch video and see photos from the event.

Today, President Obama will visit Raleigh, North Carolina to continue the conversation with Americans on why Congress needs to pass the American Jobs Act to put workers back to work. Watch the President live beginning at 12:55 p.m. EDT at WhiteHouse.gov/live.

In advance of the President’s visit, Governor Beverly Perdue and mayors across North Carolina explained the importance of passing the American Jobs Act. Governor Beverly Perdue said, "My top priority is creating jobs. I'm pleased that the President put forward the American Jobs Act. Congress should pass a plan quickly that encourages companies to hire, helps unemployed people get back to work, and puts more money in the pockets of working families."

The mayors of Asheville, Chapel Hill, Charlotte, Concord, Durham, Gastonia, High Point, Jacksonville, Salisbury and Wilmington also wrote to the President and Members of the North Carolina Congressional delegation:

As mayors of some of the largest economic engines of our great state, and representing a bipartisan Coalition, we are closely following the debate in Washington over job creation. Each of our city councils are doing all we can to build vibrant communities, which creates the foundation for job growth--but we cannot do it alone. We need bipartisan leadership from each of you to build on our local efforts.

We were pleased last night to hear the President propose his “American Jobs Act” as many of the pieces fit well with our local efforts to improve our infrastructure, invest in our youth, and put our residents back to work.

We were pleased with the reaction from elected officials on both sides of the aisle of serious consideration of the President’s proposals. We applaud those who indicated a willingness to work together to find a compromise that will put Americans back to work. We encourage you to continue your tone of civility. Seize this moment. Put our country ahead of political rhetoric and work together to pass a compromise package of initiatives that will get our economy on solid ground once again.

These mayors understand the impact that the American Jobs Act could have on job creation in North Carolina, including:

• The President’s plan will cut the payroll tax in half to 3.1% for employers on the first $5 million in wages and in North Carolina, 170,000 firms will receive a payroll tax cut under the American Jobs Act.
• The President’s plan includes $50 billion in immediate investments for highways, transit, rail and aviation which would include at least $797,900,000 in North Carolina that could support a minimum of approximately 10,400 local jobs.
• The President plan proposes to invest $35 billion to prevent layoffs of teachers, while supporting the hiring of tens of thousands more and keeping cops and firefighters on the job. The plan will provide $900,300,000 in funds to North Carolina to support up to 13,400 educator and first responder jobs.
• The President’s plan includes a $25 billion investment in school infrastructure that will modernize at least 35,000 public schools across the country including $675,700,000 in funding to North Carolina to support as many as 8,800 jobs.
• The President’s proposed new Pathways Back to Work Fund would provide hundreds of thousands of low-income youth and adults with opportunities to work and to achieve needed training in growth industries and could place 4,000 adults and 12,700 youths in jobs in North Carolina.

Cecilia Muñoz is Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of Intergovernmental Affairs

Find out more about the American Jobs Act