Brown helps Democrats advance jobs bill

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35528082/ns/politics-capitol_hill/

updated 16 minutes ago

WASHINGTON - A Democratic "jobs" bill has advanced past a GOP filibuster in the Senate, helped along by the vote of the chambers newest Republican.

Scott Brown of Massachusetts was joined by several other Republicans to help Democrats defeat a filibuster orchestrated by GOP leaders by a 62-30 tally. The tally sets up a vote on Wednesday to actually pass the measure.

The bill would allow businesses that hire unemployed workers to forgo paying Social Security payroll taxes on them through December and give them another $1,000 credit if new workers stay on the job a full year.

Most Republicans opposed the measure because Democratic leader Harry Reid of Nevada stripped out provisions they had sought and wouldn't allow them to try to restore them.

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