President Obama welcomed congressional leaders from both parties to the White House Tuesday to discuss legislative priorities for the rest of the year.

Help for small businesses is one of several items on the agenda.

"This is how we create jobs, by investing in the innovators and entrepreneurs that have always driven our prosperity," Obama said. "These are the kind of common sense steps that folks from both parties have supported in the past."

The administration proposal eliminates some capital gains taxes on investments, and creates a fund to help small banks to make loans.

Republicans say they've been trying to help small businesses all along. But they blame democrats for putting other reforms ahead of helping small businesses, such as overhauling regulation rules for Wall Street.