Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has postponed unveiling his plan for a series of jobs bills until next week in order to include proposals outlined by President Barack Obama during Wednesday’s State of the Union address.
Senate Democratic Policy Committee Chairman Byron Dorgan (N.D.) said Thursday that Reid had originally intended to lay out his blueprint — as well as the basic outline for the first bill — during a Thursday Democratic caucus luncheon, but Obama’s speech altered his timing.
Obama’s State of the Union caused a “delay by a few days to incorporate a few of the president’s suggestions,” Dorgan said, including the president’s call for new small-business capital gains provision. Dorgan, who has been tapped to help lead the Democratic jobs effort, said that Obama’s speech included “a few things we had thought of before” and that Reid decided Thursday to put off floating his plan until “we have the complete inventory” of provisions.
Earlier Thursday, Reid acknowledged that he is planning to move a series of smaller, targeted jobs bills this year rather than one large package. Democrats are hoping that by moving several bills throughout the year they can keep the issue on the front burner and lure some GOP support along the way.
“We’re going to have a jobs agenda. We’re going to do more than one thing,” Reid said. “We will announce that sometime next week,” Reid told reporters Thursday, adding that the strategy of moving several bills instead of one massive measure “gives the Republicans an opportunity to work with us.”
According to one Democratic Senator familiar with Reid’s plan, the first bill — which could be introduced as early as next week with the intention of passing it before the Feb. 13 recess — will include a handful of popular items, including provisions dealing with small businesses, infrastructure and taxes.
Sen. Benjamin Cardin (D-Md.) said Thursday that one of the bills may include a “new jobs” tax credit for small-business owners.
Roll Call has launched a new feature, Hill Navigator, to advise congressional staffers and would-be staffers on how to manage workplace issues on Capitol Hill. Please send us your questions — anything from office etiquette, to handling awkward moments, to what happens when the work life gets too personal. Submissions will be treated anonymously.
