Atlanta Journal Constitution-Congress Passes $26 Billion Jobs Bill

Sen. Max Baucus:Harry Hamburg/AP

(Story reported by the Associated Press)

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Democrats on Tuesday pushed through a $26 billion jobs bill to protect 300,000 teachers and other nonfederal government workers from election-year layoffs.

The bill would be paid for mainly by closing a tax loophole used by multinational corporations and reducing food stamp benefits for the poor. It passed mainly along party lines by a vote of 247-161.

Representatives scattered around the country and world for the August break were summoned back to Washington for the one-day session as Democrats stressed the need to act before children return to classrooms missing teachers laid off because of budgetary crises in the states.

Republicans saw it differently, calling the bill a giveaway to teachers' unions and another example of profligate Washington spending that Democrats would pay for in the coming election.

(click here to read the full story on the Atlanta Constitution-Journal website)