By Jared A. Favole Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES WASHINGTON -(Dow Jones)- President Barack Obama on Saturday said his main reason for touring Latin America over the next few days is to boost U.S. economic growth and create jobs. "Latin America is a part of the world where the economy is growing very quickly," Obama said in his weekly radio address to the nation. Obama added, "Here's a statistic to explain why this is important. Every $1 billion of goods and services we export supports more than 5,000 jobs in the United States." The president is beginning his trip in Brazil, a country of growing economic clout amid recent discoveries of massive oil reserves. The country will also be the host of the World Cup and Olympics in coming years. As a sign of the economic importance of the stop in Brazil, Obama is bringing with him Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa P. Jackson and Energy Secretary Steven Chu. He will also be meeting with business leaders from a host of companies including Cummins Inc. (CMI), International Paper Co. (IP), Illinois Tool Works Inc. (ITW) and Praxair Inc. (PX), according to a White House official. After Brazil, President Obama will be heading to Chile and El Salvador. Giving the Republican party's radio address, Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler of Washington focused on the spending debate in Congress. "I was sent here to get this Washington, with all its overspending and overregulation, out of the way, so the country we know and love can thrive and prosper," she said. Congress this week passed, and Obama signed into law, a measure to fund the government for the next three weeks. Beutler criticized Obama for not taking a greater role during the spending debates. "Instead of offering a credible, long-term plan, the president has stayed on the sidelines," she said. The White House and lawmakers have said they want to find permanent solution to fund the government for the remainder of the year. Vice President Joe Biden and other top White Officials are leading negotiations with Congressional leaders. -By Jared A. Favole, Dow Jones Newswires; 202-862-9256; jared.favole@dowjones.com
