US President Barack Obama has said delays by the US Senate in passing a mammoth stimulus bill were 'irresponsible' and 'inexcusable' on a day when figures showed hundreds of thousands of new job losses.
'It is inexcusable and irresponsible to get bogged down in distraction and delay while millions of Americans are being put out of work,’ Obama said.
New US Labor Department figures released earlier Friday showed that unemployment rose to 7.6% last month, the worst level in 16 years.
'I am sure that at the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue, members of the Senate are reading these same numbers this morning,' Obama said, in the latest hardening of tone towards opponents of his package.
'I hope they share my sense of urgency and draw the same, unmistakable conclusion: the situation could not be more serious, these numbers demand action.
'It is time for Congress to act. It is time to pass an Economic Recovery and Reinvestment Plan to get our economy moving again.'
