Washington, Jan. 25 : U. S. President Barack Obama has said that his government will be taking steps to end tax breaks for businesses that continue to outsource American jobs.

In a State of the Union Address to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday, Obama also called for lowering corporate taxes and providing incentives for U. S. manufacturers to bring overseas jobs back to America.

He said every multinational company should pay a basic minimum tax, while giving American manufacturers a tax cut.

"It''s time to stop rewarding businesses that ship jobs overseas, and start rewarding companies that create jobs right here in America," Obama said, adding a line that he repeated throughout the speech in a challenge to Congress. "Send me these tax reforms, and I''ll sign them right away."

On income taxes, Obama repeated his longstanding call for the wealthy to pay more in taxes, including a specific proposal for millionaires to have a tax rate of 30 percent.

He said that deficit reduction must include both spending cuts and revenue increases in a balanced approach that maintains the essential role of government in American prosperity and opportunity. (ANI)