Scott Brown joins Dems and votes to move jobs bill forward

Newly-seated Republican Sen. Scott Brown (Mass.) on Monday joined Democrats in voting to move forward on their $15 billion jobs bill.

Brown crossed the aisle after Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) nixed an $85 billion, bipartisan plan in favor of a more narrowly-focused bill.

“I came to Washington to be an independent voice, to put politics aside, and to do everything in my power to help create jobs for Massachusetts families," Brown said in a statement. "This Senate jobs bill is not perfect. I wish the tax cuts were deeper and broader, but I voted for it because it contains measures that will help put people back to work."

Democrats needed to poach Brown and and least one other Republican to reach the 60 votes necessary. Centrist Republican Sens. Susan Collins (Maine) and Olympia Snowe (Maine) also voted for cloture on the proposal. 

Reitiring GOP Sens. George Voinovich (Ohio) and Kit Bond (R-Mo.) also voted for cloture.

Brown was elected to the Senate with the backing of conservatives largely because of his pledge to serve as the 41st vote to uphold a filibuster of the Democrats health reform bill.

But Brown has expressed a willingness to work with Democrats on other issues.

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