First Vote on American Jobs Act Scheduled in Senate for Tuesday, October 11

The President’s package was introduced by Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) (S. 1660) and it is scheduled to be taken up on the Senate floor late Tuesday, October 11. This first vote is on limiting debate (cloture). It will require 60 votes, which means it will not be possible to move the bill forward without some Republican support as well as near unanimity among Democrats. Neither of these is certain.

The Coalition on Human Needs sent a letter of support for the Senate version of the American Jobs Act to every senator on Friday, October 7. Whether or not the legislation has enough votes to move forward now, if Congress sees that many constituencies want this kind of action on jobs, the chance that substantial parts of the bill will be adopted improves.

There is likely to be bipartisan support for extending the payroll tax cut now in place and for cutting the employer share of the payroll tax as well. Advocates are concerned that if the package is picked apart, some of the elements most beneficial to low-income people would be dropped (such as summer and year-round jobs for youth, subsidized jobs, and other targeted aid for the long-term unemployed, including the continuation of the federal unemployment insurance program). The new unemployment data shows how important these provisions are.

Jobless_in_Ma wrote:Sadly, I can't see this getting even 60 for
cloture.

Jobless_in_Ma wrote:Sadly, I can't see this getting even 60 for
cloture.

This first vote is on limiting debate (cloture). It will require 60 votes, which means it will not be possible to move the bill forward without some Republican support as well as near unanimity among Democrats. Neither of these is certain. Congressional Quarterly (CQ) reports that some Republicans including Senators John McCain (R-AZ) and Lindsay Graham (R-SC) might vote to limit debate if they were promised the opportunity to offer amendments to the President’s package. On the other hand, Senator Joseph Lieberman (I-CT) voiced opposition to the cost of the President’s bill. That does not preclude him from voting to move the bill forward.

DesperateInRI wrote:He went nuclear on bringing it to the Floor today. To move further, it is going to require 60 "yays". Can he go nuclear again?

This first vote is on limiting debate (cloture). It will require 60 votes, which means it will not be possible to move the bill forward without some Republican support as well as near unanimity among Democrats. Neither of these is certain. Congressional Quarterly (CQ) reports that some Republicans including Senators John McCain (R-AZ) and Lindsay Graham (R-SC) might vote to limit debate if they were promised the opportunity to offer amendments to the President’s package. On the other hand, Senator Joseph Lieberman (I-CT) voiced opposition to the cost of the President’s bill. That does not preclude him from voting to move the bill forward.

exhaustedandtired/1208 wrote:DOA even in the senate!!