Obama Won’t Veto Partial Jobs Bill

White House Press Secretary Jay Carney told reporters Tuesday that President Obama will allow jobs legislation to pass, even if Republicans remove tax language.

“We believe that if Congress were to send a portion of the American Jobs Act, the President would, of course, not veto it,” White House Press Secretary Jay Carney told reporters aboard Air Force One. “He would sign it, and then he would return to press the Congress to get the rest of the job done- because there is simply an urgent need in this country to grow the economy and put Americans back to work.”

The White House has suggested paying for the administration’s job proposal by limiting tax breaks for households who make over a quarter of a million, corporate jet owners and oil companies. Congressional Republicans have balked at the plan, describing the move as a thinly veiled tax hike.

However, Carney Tuesday brushed off the complaints.

“What I can tell you is that we live in a time where we have to make choices,” Carney said. 

Update on Tuesday, September 13, 2011 at 5:00PM by Geoff Holtzman

A senior White House official told reporters Tuesday afternoon that the administration would urge lawmakers to pass the entire package as one bill.

“We’re going to take this to them every day,” said the official, “and challenge them to pass the whole bill.”