Overnight Senate session averted on jobs legislation

The Senate will avoid an overnight session on a jobs bill after Republicans reached a deal with Democrats.

A fairly modest, $15 billion bill that initially passed the chamber with 70 votes on Feb. 24 has become the latest battleground between the two parties. Since that vote, the Senate bill was merged with a House-passed version, making the final vote necessary.

The Senate voted 61-30 for to end debate. Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) had threatened that Republicans would force the entire 30 hours of post-cloture debate to elapse before allowing a final vote. But Republicans agreed to allow the chamber to go home tonight and call up an FAA reauthorization bill Tuesday. A final vote on the jobs bill will be Wednesday.

The bill contains a $13 billion tax credit for employers who hire new workers; provisions to help businesses write off capital expenses; expanded bonding power for local governments and $20 billion in transferred funds for new highway projects.

Democrats spent Monday hammering away at Republicans for blocking a bill that the country needs badly and which passed with a wide, bipartisan margin just three weeks ago.

“I thought there was general consensus on this,” said Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.), who caucuses with Democrats. “I was asking my legislative director, ‘What reason are they giving for this?’ and he said he didn’t know. One theory is that they’re just trying to slow things up generally with the healthcare vote in mind.”

Republicans said the cloture period is routine and that Democrats are simply staging political theater. GOP senators have said they object to the bill’s cost and a corresponding, $20 billion impact on the federal deficit. Republicans also criticize the bill for not complying with the Senate’s new pay-as-you-go rules.

“Democrats are being dumb,” said one senior GOP aide. “Typically the clock runs overnight. For some reason they decide they want to stay here all night instead, but the outcome will be the same.”

Leaders of both parties negotiated Monday to avert the all-night session, but failed to reach an agreement.

“My colleagues and I will take our turn, using the 30 hours of debate, which we are permitted to do in the rules,” said GOP Whip Jon Kyl (Ariz.).

A version of this article was first published at 5:15 p.m.

---