Senate downsizing House Jobs Bill: Unemployment benefits & COBRA health extensions not included!

Senate Democrats eye $80B jobs package
By Ben Pershing
January 26, 2010

With lawmakers eager to pivot to economic legislation, Senate Democratic leaders have drafted an initial version of an $80 billion-plus job-creation bill that will be heavy on tax breaks designed to spur businesses to make new hires.

On Wednesday, President Obama will lay out his own proposals to boost the economy in his State of the Union address. Obama is expected to call for a freeze on federal spending that is not related to national security, as well as a series of tax cuts and credits that would mostly benefit middle-class families.

The Senate's package is still in the discussion stage, but is developed enough that Democrats hope to have it on the chamber floor in a matter of weeks. The leaders were slated to discuss the measure with their caucus at the party's weekly luncheon Tuesday but ran out of time, and now hope to have a more concrete proposal ready to unveil later this week.

The measure isn't quite finished yet, but sources said the current version would cost just over $80 billion. Though that number may change as the process moves forward, it is clear Senate Democrats have no intention of moving a jobs package as large as the $154 billion measure the House passed in December on a narrow, party-line vote. The House measure included money to extend unemployment benefits and COBRA health insurance coverage, items that aren't in the draft Senate bill but may move in the chamber separately.

"There is 'big bill fatigue' in the Senate right now," said a Senate Democratic aide.

Read the full article at:

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/2010/01/senate-democrats-eye-80b-jobs.html?hpid=topnews

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Senate Democrats draft $82.5 billion jobs plan
The Associated Press
January 25, 2010

WASHINGTON -- Top Senate Democrats have drafted an $82.5 billion "jobs" plan that would help small businesses, boost spending on road construction and mass transit, and give local governments money to retain teachers.

The draft document proposes $20 billion for a job creation tax credit and $12.5 billion to retrofit homes and businesses to make them more energy efficient. It has not been publicly released but a summary was obtained by The Associated Press.

The debt-financed plan faces a difficult path through Congress, especially since Republicans now control enough seats to maintain a filibuster in the Senate. The House passed a significantly larger plan last month.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/25/AR2010012503552.html

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I think they have a better chance of passing as part of a "jobs bill" without encountering a fake filibuster.

If Democrats are really worried about a Republican filibuster they should stop the following practices.

Senator Reid should not permit a Republican Senator who is leaving the Senate chamber, to hand him a piece of paper claiming to be engaged in a Senate stopping grand filibuster.

Senator Reid has the power under Senate Rule 22 to require that Senators actually filibuster on the Senate floor. A piece of paper just won't do!

And Senator Reid can withdraw his "two track" procedure which permit the Senate to debate more than one issue when another issue is allegedly being filibustered!

He could also have seen to it that major legislation not get into such a fix that sixty votes are required.

But he remains to be Senator Reid, so I am not holding my breath.

Where his pledges to We the People (made back in campaign season 2008) happen to be stored.

I am pretty sure that I do.

Nelson is sure to be struck out. :sarcasm: Just like the insurance comapnies were gonna lose their anti trust exception! :rofl:

These people are just plain stupid.

and know full well what they are doing.

By all means take everything out that might help the average American survive this economy. :sarcasm: (as if this is needed but you never know these days).

The Senators need to be reminded WHO they WORK FOR.

So they really don't need reminders.