Jobs bill fails in Senate on procedural vote

Jobs bill fails in Senate on procedural vote
By Lori Montgomery
Copyright by The Washington Post
Thursday, June 17, 2010; 8:23 PM
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/06/17/AR2010061705548.html?hpid=topnews

The Senate effectively rejected a slimmed-down package of jobless benefits and aid to state governments late Thursday, rebuffing President Obama's call for urgent action to bolster the economic recovery.

On a vote of 56 to 40, the Senate failed to muster the 60 votes needed to overcome a Republican filibuster threat and proceed to an up-or-down vote on the approximately $120 billion package, which would extend emergency jobless benefits, avert thousands of state layoffs and protect doctors from a steep Medicare pay cut.

Despite efforts to trim the cost of the package, it still would have contributed $55 billion to budget deficits over the next decade while raising taxes on investment partnerships and certain businesses, both large and small.

Republicans objected to both the tax hikes and the impact on the deficit. They were joined by Sen Joseph I. Lieberman (I-Conn.) and Sen Ben Nelson (D-Neb.), who voted against the measure.