Senate to vote tomorrow on Klobuchar’s jobs bill

WASHINGTON - Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid filed a motion to end debate on the Rebuilding American Jobs Act, a bill sponsored by DFL Sen. Amy Klobuchar that would boost spending on transportation projects. A vote is expected Thursday.

Klobuchar's bill is part of President Obama's agenda to reduce unemployment and increase investment in infrastructure projects, a theme that he will hitting again during a speech today at a bridge in Washington, DC. Klobuchar's office confirmed that she will attend the speech. Later this afternoon, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood will join her and several Democratic Senators at a press conference urging other senators to support the measure.

The bill, which will almost certainly not attract the 60 votes needed to end debate and receive a straight up or down vote, would allocate $50 billion to a variety of pressing transportation projects across the country and set aside an additional $10 billion as seed money for an infrastructure bank to fund future projects. The measure would be paid for by a 0.7 percent surtax on income above $1 million but Senate Republicans have vowed to defeat any jobs proposal that includes tax hikes.

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