Washington: The United States Senate voted to advance a $15 billion jobs-creation measures in which five Republicans joined the majority Democrats giving a major victory to the Obama Administration.
Grateful to the Republicans and Democrats who voted for the bill, the US President Barack Obama in a quick statement on Monday said this is one of many efforts they need to tackle Americas economic challenges.
"We will continue to work with Congress on additional job creation measures," he said.
"Jobs remain our top priority, and I look forward to working with members from both parties to get legislation signed, and the American people back to work," Obama said.
Earlier the Senate voted 62-30 to move ahead on the $15 billion bill, which has a range of tax credits and highway funds aimed at creating jobs.
Winning passage of even a scaled back jobs bill is critical for Democrats who want to show they re tackling unemployment, which stands at 9.7 per cent.
"I hope this is the beginning of a new day in the Senate," said the Senate Majority leader Harry Reid soon after the vote.
Among the five Republicans who joined the 57 Democrats in support of the bill was Senator Scott Brown.
"This Senate jobs bill is not perfect. I wish the tax cuts were deeper and broader, but I will vote for it because it contains measures that will help put people back to work,"
said Brown who won the Massachusetts Senate Seat in January, occupied by late Senator Edward Kennedy for past few decades.
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