Thread: Scott Brown helps Democrats advance jobs bill

UPDATE 1-New U.S. senator helps Democrats advance jobs bill
Mon Feb 22, 2010 6:27pm EST
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WASHINGTON, Feb 22 (Reuters) - A modest job-creation bill advanced in the U.S. Senate on Monday as the chamber's newest Republican bucked his party and sided with Democrats on a $15 billion package of tax cuts and highway spending.

Republican Scott Brown joined four other Republicans, 55 Democrats and two independents to overcome a procedural hurdle that sets up a final vote later this week.

Brown was widely hailed as a conservative hero after his surprise victory in Massachusetts last month gave Republicans enough seats to block most Democratic legislation.

His election prompted President Barack Obama and his fellow Democrats to call for increased bipartisanship, and an earlier version of the bill was written with Republican input.

But key Republicans withdrew their support after Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid scaled it back.

Brown said the bill was not perfect but would help put people back to work.

"I hope my vote today is a strong step toward restoring bipartisanship in Washington," he said in a statement.

The bill includes a tax credit for businesses that hire unemployed workers, subsidies for state and local construction bonds and $19.5 billion to shore up a highway-construction fund.

Much of the cost is offset by a crackdown on offshore tax shelters.

(Reporting by Andy Sullivan, editing by Philip Barbara)

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN2221899520100222

ROLL CALL HERE:

http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/r ... vote=00023

ROLL CALL HERE:

http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/r ... vote=00023

The other four Republicans voting Yes were:

Bond (MO) (retiring in 2010)
Collins (ME)
Snowe (ME)
Voinovitch (OH) (retiring in 2010)

This bill makes no destinction between hiring legal or illegal workers and does not require qualifying companies to use E-Verity.

Scott Brown Ad: New Senator Targeted Over Jobs Bill

As the Senate gets ready to consider its jobs bill this week, a group that works closely with Democratic leadership and the Obama White House is working to pressure newly-elected Sen. Scott Brown (R-Mass.) to support the legislation.

Americans United for Change targets only the Massachusetts Republican in its newest spot, tilted "Promise." In it, the progressive-leaning organization uses snippets spliced from Brown's victory speech to argue that he would be abandoning early promises of independence from party and lobbyists by voting against the legislation.

The ad is a reflection of how new math dominates the United States Senate. With Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) unable to turn to a united Democratic caucus for the 60 votes needed to break a filibuster, his attention as well as that of issue-advocacy organizations now ventures to the small group of Republican senators who are sometimes willing to buck their party's leaders. Brown told the Huffington Post on Friday that he was still "analyzing" the jobs bill, implying that he remains open to supporting it. But with Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) unable to attend a vote this week due to his recuperation from stomach cancer, Reid will need a second Republican in addition to Brown.

In the end, it may be too big a hill to climb, though GOP leader Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) refused to indicate how Republicans would vote on the legislation. "We need to have amendments and vote on it," he said.

An official at Americans United for Change tells the Huffington Post that the ad purchase is "five figures" and will air on cable, "mostly focused on Boston."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/02/2 ... 71223.html[/b]

This is from a progressive site:


Scott Brown Goes Independent On Jobs Bill: A Surprise For Republicans!

Newly elected Massachusetts Senator Scott Brown is making news by going Independent on his first big vote–a procedural move to allow a Jobs bill to be adopted by the Senate.

At first thought, this may be surprising, as Brown bragged, after he beat Margaret Coakley, that he was the 41st vote to stop health care reform.

But I think Brown recognizes that his victory is not really a trend at all, but rather a fluke, and lucky break for him, due to a dull, boring, opponent.

Had a Kennedy run for the seat of Ted Kennedy, Brown would not now be a Senator. The odds are heavy that a Kennedy will run to reclaim Ted Kennedy’s seat in 2012, when a full term comes up for a vote.

The rumor is that Joe Kennedy, former Congressman from 1987-1999, and son of Robert Kennedy, will run, and it is hard to imagine Brown winning over him, or really any Kennedy. If he is going to have a chance to win, however, Scott Brown must break with his party a lot, and show he is more a New Englander than a Republican, or else his tenure in the Senate will be indeed very brief!

Meanwhile, let’s applaud Brown for dolng the right thing for his constituents and the nation’s jobless!


http://www.theprogressiveprofessor.com/?tag=scott-brown

Harry Reid touts jobs bill that advances, with help from GOP senator


WASHINGTON -- New Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown might be known as the 41st Republican – the one who toppled Democrats’ 60-seat majority – but today he was No. 1: the first of five Republicans to cross party lines to support a Democratic jobs bill.

The Senate showed new life this evening when senators voted 62-30 to advance a $15 billion package of tax cuts and highway spending to help put the country back to work.

After weeks of stagnation in the chamber, a mix of partisan gridlock, bad weather and the Presidents Day break, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid welcomed what he hoped was “the beginning of a new day.

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2010/fe ... -new-gop-/

We need to be calling him!!!!

Brown, Scott - (R - MA) Class I
SENATE RUSSELL COURTYARD 1 WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-4543

Originally Posted by April

We need to be calling him!!!!

Brown, Scott - (R - MA) Class I
SENATE RUSSELL COURTYARD 1 WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-4543

His mailbox is full and I could not find an email for him, I will be calling him tomorrow there needs to be a huge backlash on this, Americans all across the country sent money to him.....He betrayed US ALL!!!!

Reids bill proposes tax exemptions and tax credits for employers who hire and retain worker, regardless of their immigration status, which means illegals are fine so he how is that going to help Americans, he encouraging employers to continue hiring illegals!!!

Am I the only one upset about this?????

No. But with the other 4 Republicans and 2 Independents voting with them, too, his was not the decisive vote on this. I believe I'll save my protest to Brown for if we get amnesty for illegal aliens and he supports that!