Amid election-year unemployment worries, US senators unveiled a jobs package on Thursday that offers tax breaks and construction projects to boost the economy and aid to those hunting for work.
Senate Finance Committee chairman Max Baucus, a Democrat, and Senator Charles Grassley, the panel’s top Republican, introduced the measure, which is not expected to face a vote until next week.
US President Barack Obama’s Democratic allies, who have promised to focus chiefly on jobs ahead of the November mid-term elections, saw hopes for a vote this week crushed under the weight of two paralyzing snowstorms.
The White House said Obama was “gratified” that the Senate was moving in a bipartisan manner on a jobs bill that included many of his proposals.
“The American people want to see Washington put aside partisan differences and make progress on jobs,” White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said in a statement.
“The president looks forward to working with members from both parties on this bill and on the additional job creation measures he has identified, including incentives for energy efficiency investments and increased access to credit for small businesses,” he said.
The measure includes a range of tax cuts, including breaks for employers who hire new workers and keep them on one year, as well as some investors, and help for bond issues to fund school or energy projects.
It also includes funding aimed at promoting infrastructure construction, and an extension of unemployment benefits that might otherwise expire at the end of the month, as well as help for jobless workers to retain stopgap health insurance in a system that typically relies on employers to provide coverage.
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