Special to the NNPA from the Afro-American Newspaper - Congress unanimously passed two provisions of the American Jobs Act during the week of Nov. 14, although the passing of those provisions may do little to bring down the country’s high employment rate.

Contractors will no longer have a tax-withholding requirement and corporations will receive tax incentives for hiring veterans. The measures were among the few parts of the president’s proposed jobs agenda which has received bipartisan support in Congress.

“I want to congratulate Republicans and Democrats in Congress for coming together to pass these tax credits that will encourage businesses to hire America’s veterans,” President Barack Obama said in a statement.  “No veteran who fought for our country should have to fight for a job when they come home.”

GOP senators are asking Obama to invite Sen. Scott Brown (R-Mass.), to the signing ceremony because Brown wrote the legislation on the withholding tax.

“I would like to call on the president this morning to invite Sen. Brown down to the White House for the signing ceremony, which would show the American people that cooperation is indeed possible,” Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) told The Hill.

Obama has not indicated whether Brown will be invited, instead calling on Congress to pass the remaining measures of his American Jobs Act.

“This is a good first step, but it is only a step,” Obama continued. “Congress needs to pass the rest of my American Jobs Act so that we can create jobs and put money in the pockets of the middle class.”