国际英语新闻：Obama signs bill to boost U.S. manufacturing

The president also vowed to "do every single thing we can to hasten our economic recovery and get our people back to work."

The job market remains sluggish despite a number of initiatives the administration has undertaken. Unemployment rate stayed flat at a near record high of 9.5 percent in July, and nonfarm payroll employment declined by 131,000, the Labor Department reported on Friday.

The manufacturing bill is part of a broader agenda called "Make it in America," a legislative initiative from House Democrats to boost American manufacturing and create new jobs.

The agenda contains a variety of bills to encourage investments in industry, improve manufacturing infrastructure and innovation and strengthen the American workforce.

Republicans criticize the initiative as politically motivated, designed primarily to save the jobs of endangered Rust Belt Democrats whose races could determine the balance of power in the midterm elections in November.

Manufacturing has been declining in terms of its share in the overall economy and employment since the late 1970s. During the past decade, the number of workers absorbed by the sector has fallen from 17.3 million in 1999 to 11.7 million last year, according to the Labor Department.

Some analysts doubt whether manufacturing can drive the world's largest economy, since the U.S. does not have advantages with respect to labor cost and other factors. They even worry about the possibility that the Obama administration's bet on the industry might lead to a new round of protectionism.