U.S. jobs bill

WASHINGTON, Feb. 23 (UPI) -- Democrats say the $15 billion jobs bill they are pushing in the U.S. Senate would create tens of thousands of jobs.

The pared-down measure won a 62-30 procedural vote Monday -- with five Republicans voting to allow the bill to move forward -- setting up a possible vote for passage Wednesday.

If wasn't a complete repudiation of the partisanship that has gripped the Senate, however. Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, voted with the majority but made a point to state she was unhappy with Democrats plans to refuse Republican amendments to the measure.

The bill is much different from one passed by the House of Representatives. That measure would cost $154 billion,suggesting reconciliation may be a difficult process

The measure the Senate is considering was written by Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., and replaced an $85 billion bill that had received bipartisan support.

Reid's bill includes a $13 billion tax credit related to companies hiring unemployed workers. Democrats predict such an enticement would result in the tens of thousands of people being hired and cut into the U.S. unemployment rate of nearly 10 percent.