Jobs bill clears Senate

The $17.6 billion measure will now head to President Obama.

The Senate on Wednesday sent President Obama the first major element of the Democrats’ agenda to tackle high unemployment rates and put Americans back to work.

The $17.6 billion measure was cleared by 68-29 after it spent months bouncing back and forth between the House and Senate.

Obama hailed final passage of the bill. "It is the first of what I hope will be a series of jobs packages that help to continue to put people back to work," he said.

The measure includes a payroll tax break for businesses that hire unemployed workers, with a tax credit of $1,000 if they keep such workers on the job for at least one year.

It also includes extensions of the surface transportation programs funded by the Highway Trust Fund, the Build America Bonds program and more generous expensing rules for small businesses.

Republicans complained that the bill's cost was not adequately offset and Sen. Judd Gregg , R-N.H., raised a budgetary point of order against the measure.

A version of this story first appeared in CQ.

Recent Headlines

Want to write Congress about SOPA?

If you'd like to write Congress about SOPA, the easiest thing to do is go to our Facebook page and use our Tell Congress app.

The Beat: How Government Works

In this episode of "The Beat," we talk with Roll Call Associate Editor Paul Singer about a new project exploring the behind-the-scenes work that makes government function.

The Beat: Defense

Congress.org editor Ryan Teague Beckwith and CQ defense reporter John Donnelly discuss the latest in defense news.

Directories

Legislation

Issues & Actions

Election


Soapbox

More Resources