U.S. Senate rejects Obama’s $417 billion jobs bill

Washington, D.C., United States (AHN) – The U.S. Senate rejected President Barack Obama’s $417-billion jobs bill on Tuesday night.

The senators voted 50 to 48. Although two votes higher, the vote was still short of 60 votes for the jobs bill to move forward. There were 46 Republicans and two Democrats who voted against the jobs bill.

The two Democrats are Sen. Ben Nelson of Nebraska and Sen. Jon Testor of Montana, who will likely now face tough reelection campaigns next year because of their vote.

The bill proposed payroll tax cuts for workers and businesses, and $175 billion spending on roads, school repairs and infrastructure to create more jobs for Americans. It also plans to extend further unemployment assistance and help local government avoid layoff of teachers, firefighters and police.

Republicans voted against the jobs bill because of its similarity with the stimulus plan that Washington approved in 2009, but apparently failed to improve the country’s laggard economy.

Obama spent several weeks promoting the bill through a campaign tour across the U.S. The White House also sent a letter to 16 Democratic governors to ask their congressional leaders to support the jobs bill, which sought to reduce the country’s 9.1 percent unemployment rate.

Obama said he plans to break the legislation into pieces, specifically an extension of the payroll tax cut and unemployment benefits. The president said the Senate’s vote does not mean the end of this fight to help create more employment opportunities for U.S. residents.

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