Now that Senate Republicans have killed President Barack Obama’s $447 billion jobs bill, U.S. Sen. Scott Brown is urging Washington to focus on passing smaller portions of the package, and Obama seems to be taking the same approach.
Brown, R-Mass., wants Democrats and Republicans to vote on items within the Obama bill that are most likely to pass, such as extending and expanding a reduction in the payroll tax used to fund Social Security.
He also wants tax credits for businesses that hire veterans.
In addition to the tax cuts, Obama wants funding for road and bridge repairs, as well as state aid to rehire teachers, police and firefighters – measures Republicans oppose.
Brown said the vote on the entire bill was a political move because the bill never had a chance of passing. The bill got 50 Democratic votes, but that was far short of the 60 needed to end the filibuster supported by two Democrats and all Republicans, including Brown.
“This vote is a charade,” Brown said.
“As I said before, we should be working together to immediately pass the sections of the president’s jobs bill where there is bipartisan agreement, such as the payroll tax cut and the incentives to put our veterans back to work,” he said.
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This article first ran in the Attleboro Sun Chronicle on October 13, 2011.
