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| Obama pushes payroll tax cut extension in New Hampshire | Obama pushes payroll tax cut extension in New Hampshire |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| US President Barack Obama is in the political battleground state of New Hampshire to challenge Congress to extend an expiring payroll tax cut. | US President Barack Obama is in the political battleground state of New Hampshire to challenge Congress to extend an expiring payroll tax cut. |
| His trip comes a day after the failure of a deficit-cutting effort by a bipartisan congressional committee. | His trip comes a day after the failure of a deficit-cutting effort by a bipartisan congressional committee. |
| Democrats had hoped to include the tax cut extension and other economy-boosting measures into an agreement by the so-called super-committee. | |
| Republicans are not wholly against the proposal, but may attach conditions. | Republicans are not wholly against the proposal, but may attach conditions. |
| Speaking from a high school in Manchester, New Hampshire, the president will argue that failure to extend the tax breaks would hurt middle-class families. | Speaking from a high school in Manchester, New Hampshire, the president will argue that failure to extend the tax breaks would hurt middle-class families. |
| Under his latest jobs plan the president would cut by a further percentage point a payroll tax break that has reduced workers' contributions to Social Security by 2%. | Under his latest jobs plan the president would cut by a further percentage point a payroll tax break that has reduced workers' contributions to Social Security by 2%. |
| The measure helped 121 million families save $934 (£600) last year, the Tax Policy Center says. | The measure helped 121 million families save $934 (£600) last year, the Tax Policy Center says. |
| "If we don't act, taxes will go up for every single American, starting next year. And I'm not about to let that happen," President Obama said on Monday. | "If we don't act, taxes will go up for every single American, starting next year. And I'm not about to let that happen," President Obama said on Monday. |
| It has been nearly two years since he visited New Hampshire, a presidential swing state he won in 2008. | It has been nearly two years since he visited New Hampshire, a presidential swing state he won in 2008. |
| In January, it holds one of the first state-by-state nominating contests to pick the Republican candidate who will challenge Mr Obama for the White House in a year's time. | In January, it holds one of the first state-by-state nominating contests to pick the Republican candidate who will challenge Mr Obama for the White House in a year's time. |
| During Tuesday's visit, President Obama will also argue for an extension of benefits for the long-term unemployed. | During Tuesday's visit, President Obama will also argue for an extension of benefits for the long-term unemployed. |
| Introduced as part of the 2008 stimulus package, it was renewed last year but is also due to expire at the end of this year unless Congress acts. | Introduced as part of the 2008 stimulus package, it was renewed last year but is also due to expire at the end of this year unless Congress acts. |
| Analysts say that failing to preserve the measures would be a drag on the fragile US economy, already labouring under an unemployment rate of 9%. | |
| Official figures released on Tuesday found the US economy had grown in the last quarter at a slower pace than previously estimated. | Official figures released on Tuesday found the US economy had grown in the last quarter at a slower pace than previously estimated. |
| Republican members of Congress have not ruled out an extension to the payroll tax. | |
| Party members sent the White House a letter in September stating the proposal was a potential area of common ground in the president's $447bn jobs bill. | Party members sent the White House a letter in September stating the proposal was a potential area of common ground in the president's $447bn jobs bill. |
| But Republicans may demand the $248bn cost of the measure be offset elsewhere. | But Republicans may demand the $248bn cost of the measure be offset elsewhere. |
| There is doubt over whether Congress will be able to make a deal, given the super-committee's failure after weeks of talks to agree how to cut government spending. | There is doubt over whether Congress will be able to make a deal, given the super-committee's failure after weeks of talks to agree how to cut government spending. |
| It means automatic across-the-board spending cuts are due to come into effect in 2013. | |
| However, some Republican lawmakers have already said they will work to avoid the cuts to the Pentagon's budget. | |
| Representative Buck McKeon, chairman of the House Armed Forces Committee, and Senator John McCain, top Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, want to eliminate reductions to military spending. | |
| And President Obama's own Defence Secretary, Leon Panetta, is lobbying to protect his department from cost-cutting. | |
| The president warned on Monday that he would veto any move to undo the automatic cuts. |