In weekly addresses, Obama and GOP speak to job creation

(CNN) - The new year means new jobs, Democrats and Republicans say.

In their first weekly addresses of 2012, Republicans argued that Senate Democrats are holding up their job growth efforts, and President Barack Obama said progress is being made.

"We've got to keep creating jobs," Obama said. "And we've got to keep rebuilding our economy so that everyone gets a fair shot, everyone does their fair share – and everyone plays by the same rules."

He touted his recess appointment of a Consumer Financial Protection Board director on Wednesday – an appointment Republicans decried, arguing that Congress is in session because it holds "pro forma" meetings every three days.

The President also pointed to "Insourcing American Jobs," an upcoming White House forum focused on "bringing jobs back home."

In their address, Republicans said Senate Democrats were holding up jobs progress.

"Right now, there are nearly 30 jobs bills passed by the House with support from both Republicans and Democrats that are awaiting action in the Democratic-run Senate," New York Rep. Nan Hayworth said.

"In the coming weeks, the House will consider job-creating proposals to reduce unnecessary and burdensome regulations, and repair and improve America's roads and bridges," she said. "Instead of just spending more on short-term fixes, we'd be permanently removing government barriers to job creation."

Numbers released by the government on Friday showed 200,000 new jobs created in December and 1.6 million added on the year, an increase over the 940,000 created in 2010.

The President called that "steady progress," and said the economy is "heading in the right direction."