President Barack Obama on Tuesday conveyed a new sense of urgency to Congress to send a small-business jobs bill to his desk.

During a White House event honoring small-business owners, Obama called on lawmakers to move quickly to pass a jobs package that includes two proposals he has already sent to Congress: a $30 billion small-business lending fund and a new credit initiative aimed at expanding lending.

When small businesses benefit from new tax credits and incentives, “their success isn’t the result of a heavy-handed government. It’s the result of a government that lends a helping hand,” Obama said.

The president noted that elements of a small-business jobs package passed House Financial Services last week and the Senate is working on the issue, but he ramped up pressure on lawmakers to get the job done.

“I urge both chambers to act on these proposals as soon as possible,” he said