WASHINGTON, March 9 (Reuters) - Democratic efforts to spur job creation advanced in Congress on Tuesday as a $149 billion package of tax breaks and unemployment aid cleared a procedural hurdle in the Senate.
The 66 to 34 vote allows the bill to move toward final passage. It is part of what Democrats call a "jobs agenda" to reduce the country's 9.7 percent unemployment rate before November congressional elections.
The Senate is expected to pass the bill within the next few days and send it to the House, where many Democratic lawmakers have pushed for more aggressive job-creation measures.
The bill largely continues existing government policies. Jobless workers would their see unemployment aid and healthcare subsidies extended to the end of the year, while businesses would once again benefit from $25 billion worth of tax breaks that expired at the end of 2009.
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN0925135920100309?type=marketsNews