The Senate pushed a $15 billion jobs bill over a pivotal hurdle tonight thanks to five Senate Republicans — including newly elected Massachusetts senator Scott Brown — who voted across party lines in favor of the Democratic-backed bill, engineered by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. Tonight’s test vote of 62–30 means it is likely that the Senate will ultimately approve the measure — which aims to create tens of thousands of new jobs — though it is unclear whether the House will follow suit and also back the bill.
Brown and the four other Republican senators who voted for the bill — Maine’s Olympia Snowe, Missouri’s Kit Bond, Maine’s Susan Collins, and Ohio’s George Voinovich — helped to break the Republican-led filibuster.
“It’s not a perfect bill,” Brown said after the vote. “I was comfortable with that vote … It is the first step in creating jobs, not only for the people of Massachusetts but for the people of the country.”
Politicians weren’t the only ones buzzing about Brown; shortly after the vote, the senator was a top trending topic on Twitter.
With G.O.P. Help, Senate Advances Jobs Bill [Caucus/NYT]
Sen. Scott Brown helps Democrats break GOP filibuster of jobs bill [NYP]
