Reid Hopes for Vote on Jobs Bill by This Weekend

[midnight]

Source: CQ Politics CQ TODAY MIDDAY UPDATE Feb. 9, 2010 – 1:59 p.m.


Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid , D-Nev., said Tuesday he intends to push for a vote by this weekend on job creation legislation, though another winter storm bearing down on Washington made the Senate schedule increasingly tenuous.

Following a meeting of Democratic and Republican leaders at the White House, Reid said he hopes the jobs package will be introduced later Tuesday. A portion centered on a tax credit for new hiring had bipartisan support, at least as of Monday night, he added.


Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell , R-Ky., told reporters after the White House meeting that there is “a chance” that his party could get behind the tax-related provisions, but he called it “kind of a work in progress” and said most Republicans hadn’t seen it yet.

“Frankly, it’s not ready yet . . . We’re certainly open to it. There’s a chance we can move this forward on a bipartisan basis,” McConnell said.

House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer , D-Md., was more circumspect, saying not much progress had been made in the White House talks. He also indicated House Democrats wanted to study the effectiveness of a tax credit for hiring.

Read more: http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docID=cqmidday-000003292380

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Frankly I don't understand why this job's bill is not ready.

[Abq_Sarah]

1. They're back to that

Tax credit for hiring new workers?

If I can't afford to hire new employees today, how is a tax credit a year from now going to help me?

[midnight]

2. A very important point. So I hope this is not held up for this reason.

[tonysam]

3. Let's just hope they get it done

No stalling around, please, senators.

[Abq_Sarah]

5. I looked at the draft copy

Floating around on the internet and I saw more of the same.

This will give a boost to companies that don't need help and it will, as usual, be at the expense of smaller companies.

Not impressed......

[midnight]

4. Jobs bill gets snowed underBy LISA LERER | 2/8/10 4:53 AM EST

Senate Democrats will miss their self-imposed deadline for bringing a jobs bill to the floor Monday, and they’re hoping that the weekend’s epic snowstorm will give them some cover.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0210/32658.html#ixzz0f67USs2p


Lots of Snow here at my house in Wisconsin. I hope when they come back to the office, they resolve their conflict and put the unemployed in a job. Here is to everyone getting back to work...

[midnight]

6. Update: Bipartisan Jobs Bill Would Do Little To Create Jobs 02/11/10 06:02 AM

The bipartisan Senate plan would exempt businesses from paying a 6.2 percent Social Security tax on the wages of new employees, as long as the workers have been unemployed at least 60 days. The tax break would run through the end of the year.

Companies could get an additional $1,000 on their 2011 tax returns if they keep the new workers for at least a full year.

Supporters say the Senate plan is a cheaper, simpler alternative to a proposal by Obama that would give a $5,000 tax credit for each new worker employers hire this year. Obama's plan would cost $33 billion.

At a hearing last week, House Democrats peppered Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner with questions about whether a tax break for hiring workers would increase employment. Geithner defended the idea but acknowledged that businesses won't start hiring until demand for their products and services increases.

"I think this will provide a little bit more of a boost, a little more spark to make sure as we grow, we're creating more jobs than we otherwise would," he told the House Ways and Means Committee.