A small handful of Republicans joined Democrats in helping pass a $15 billion jobs bill by a vote of 217 to 201. The bill, whose centerpiece is a tax credit for employers hiring workers who have been unemployed for long periods of time, has changed since the Senate passed it, but the modified version is expected to easily clear that body again. The need for this bill will be put into new context tomorrow when another round of unemployment figures are set to be released. [WSJ]
