Jobs Bill Just Got Bipartisan Senate Support

It's too early to get our hopes up for sustained Senate bipartisanship, but just before 6 p.m. tonight, five Republicans joined 57 Democrats to invoke cloture on Senator Harry Reid's (D-NV) amendment to the House jobs bill, H.R.2847. Newly elected Scott Brown (R-MA), Kit Bond (R-MO), Sue Collins (R-ME), Olympia Snow (R-ME), and George Voinovitch (R-OH) voted with the Democrats. Ben Nelson (D-NE) was the only Democrat to vote with the Republicans. Not voting were Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), who is hospitalized for stomach cancer, and eight Republicans, who ducked the vote. So far, Reid's amendment would be limited to $12 b. FY10-FY12, and it's "paid for" over 10 years, but amendments could add to that, and it will grow larger in any compromise with the House's $65 b. FY10-FY19 bill.

1. Jobs bill
2. Deficit reduction for FY12 and beyond
3. Already expired:
   1. Estate Tax, currently repealed, but jumping to 2001 law in 2011
   2. 71 other expired tax provisions, including the R&D tax credit.
4. About to expire:
   1. Highway authorization
   2. flood insurance
   3. postponement of the 21% cut in Medicare physician reimbursement rates
5. Defense supplemental to fund the Iraq and Afghanistan wars
6. budget resolution
7. Confirm non-controversial judges and other presidential appointees on "hold" for reasons having nothing to do with their qualifications.
8. Financial reforms