Washington Post
By: Ben Pershing
March 10, 2010
Jobs bill moves toward final vote
By: Ben Pershing
March 10, 2010
Jobs bill moves toward final vote
The Senate's latest jobs bill cleared a key procedural hurdle Tuesday, with the chamber voting to limit debate on a $150 billion package of tax-break extensions and aid for the unemployed.
Eight Republicans joined 58 Democrats to advance the bill, which now faces a vote on final passage Wednesday. The House's plans to deal with the measure are unclear.
The bill includes one-year extensions of unemployment insurance and COBRA health benefits, as well as money to help states pay for Medicaid and private pension funds that have taken a big hit during the recession.
The measure also carries a "fix" to prevent a cut in payments to doctors who serve Medicare patients, as well as a $30 billion package to extend expiring tax breaks. And it includes more than $1 billion in emergency agricultural aid sought by Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.), who faces a tough reelection race.
Led by Sen. Judd Gregg (R-N.H.), fiscal hawks defeated one amendment that would have spent more than $2 billion to help states pay for summer jobs and other programs for the needy.
Later this week, the Senate is expected to vote one more time on a separate $15 billion jobs measure that it has already approved once. The House tweaked that bill before passing it last week.
Eight Republicans joined 58 Democrats to advance the bill, which now faces a vote on final passage Wednesday. The House's plans to deal with the measure are unclear.
The bill includes one-year extensions of unemployment insurance and COBRA health benefits, as well as money to help states pay for Medicaid and private pension funds that have taken a big hit during the recession.
The measure also carries a "fix" to prevent a cut in payments to doctors who serve Medicare patients, as well as a $30 billion package to extend expiring tax breaks. And it includes more than $1 billion in emergency agricultural aid sought by Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.), who faces a tough reelection race.
Led by Sen. Judd Gregg (R-N.H.), fiscal hawks defeated one amendment that would have spent more than $2 billion to help states pay for summer jobs and other programs for the needy.
Later this week, the Senate is expected to vote one more time on a separate $15 billion jobs measure that it has already approved once. The House tweaked that bill before passing it last week.
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