By Sarah Mupo -- February 23, 2010
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said Tuesday that he expects a Senate vote on the Democratic jobs bill this evening.
"We're going to pass the bill tonight or sometime tonight--maybe earlier than later," he said. "Time runs out around midnight tonight."
A Reid spokesman could not specify if the vote would definitely take place tonight, and said that Republicans could obstruct the process.
"I'm hopeful and confident we can work out a reasonable time to vote on this. Otherwise, we'll have to do it really late tonight or very early in the morning," Reid said.
The Senate bill is a revised version of an $85 billion draft bill that was later pared down to Reid's $15 billion plan. Provisions of the bill include: exemptions for employers from Social Security payroll taxes for hiring new workers who were previously unemployed, funding for transit and highway programs through this year and a tax break extension for businesses that spend money on investments.
The bipartisan bill cleared a GOP filibuster on Monday night and received a 62-30 tally to continue to a final vote. Senator Scott Brown (R-Mass.) and four other Republicans separated from GOP leaders and supported the measure.
"We're so happy that we had some Republicans join us," Reid said.
Reid said he hopes that the current jobs bill will be the first of many jobs bills receiving Senate approval. He also said Tuesday he plans to ask for Senate consent for an additional bill that would establish a 30-day extension for "expiring tax provisions, including unemployment insurance, COBRA, flood insurance and a number of other important issues."
If action is not taken, CNN reported, approximately 1.2 million Americans will be without benefits after the end of the month.
