Obama jobs plan: Your reaction
US President Barack Obama has urged lawmakers to back his new legislation aimed at creating more jobs and cutting taxes.
In a rare address to a joint session of Congress, he said he wanted to get the unemployed back to work, put money in employees' pockets and rebuild infrastructure.
BBC News website readers in the US have been contacting us with their reaction to the proposals.
Melodie Leighty, Michigan
I really hope that Congress will pass this Jobs Act but I fear it will not.
I have been unemployed for the last four years and would love to get back to work but I cannot find employment.
This has been a source of angst for me for many months. I am a single parent since my son's father died.
We have to budget very carefully and we get by on social security death benefits and food stamp aid.
Now would be an ideal time for me to go back to work. I have the passion and skills to help my community, as our president asked of all citizens when he took office.
I feel that President Obama really focussed on the right things and the right people in this speech.
The proposal of tax cuts for middle-classes and breaks for small businesses were spot-on. These groups need to have money put back in their pockets.
If this bill goes through then I'll re-apply to all the employers who have rejected my applications so far.
I hope Congress doesn't turn a deaf ear to his proposals because this really is an urgent matter in all 50 states.
I thought it seemed to be well-received and I think it was a good decision to do it as a joint session.
I can only hope this bill passes and through its passage I may find employment. I want to feel like a contributing member of society again.
Bruno Vieri, California
I'm sceptical about President Obama's proposals. Here in California we feel pretty cool towards construction projects.
They cost a lot of money and yes, they do generate money, but not necessarily for the right people. It seems that most of the profit goes to the construction companies.
I would rather see funds being diverted to teaching, which has greater long-term benefits than the "shovel-ready" projects that Obama is so keen on.
The one point in his speech that I did agree with was the tax breaks for small businesses. That is a measure that makes sense.
However, bureaucracy is another major problem for small businesses and Obama did not address that.
It's tough running a small business and they need all the help they can get - especially the high-tech end, which has so much potential to generate employment.
I also disagree with the idea of extending unemployment benefits. This will just prolong the period when people are happy not to work because they'll be collecting benefits.
I think these measures are going to meet with a lot of resistance in Congress.