US prepared to bring back jobs lost to recession: Obama

The US is prepared to bring back jobs lost to recession and overseas competition in recent decades and the Congress should help achieve this goal, President Barack Obama said on Saturday.

"We are primed to bring back more of the good jobs claimed by the recession, and lost to overseas competition in recent decades," Obama said in his weekly radio and web address.

"But that requires a year of action. I want to work with Congress this year on proven ways to create jobs, like building infrastructure and fixing our broken immigration system," Obama said.

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Referring to his visit to the North Carolina State University this week where engineers are set to develop the new technology that will make motors even better, Obama said this is part of his push not only to make America home to more high-tech manufacturing but to make it more attractive for the jobs that a growing middle class requires.

"And increasingly, we are.

“Thanks in part to our all-of-the-above strategy for American energy, for the first time in nearly two decades, we produce more oil here at home than we buy from the rest of the world," Obama said.         

"We generate more renewable energy than ever, and more natural gas than anybody," he said.

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He asked the Congress to help him achieve his goals.           

Obama said where Congress is not acting, he will act on his own to put opportunity within reach for anyone who is willing to work for it.

"I firmly believe that this can be a breakthrough year for America.

“But to make that happen, we're gonna have to act -- to create good jobs that pay good wages, and to offer more Americans a fair shot to get ahead," he said.

"That's what I'm focused on every day that I have the privilege of serving as your president.

“That's what I'm going to be focused on every single day of this year," Obama said.