House passes repackaged ‘jobs bills’

The House on Thursday passed a consolidated package of bills it has already passed aimed at boosting the economy as part of its closing argument before adjourning until after the midterm elections.

Passage of the measure fell largely along party lines on a 253-163 vote.

{mosads}House Republicans touted the so-called “jobs bills” as one large package to highlight what they view as Senate Democrats’ obstruction. The package includes bills to repeal the healthcare law’s requirement that all employers with 50 or more workers provide insurance, to do away with the medical device tax and to renew expired tax breaks.

The expired tax breaks, also known as “extenders,” include research and development, Section 179 expensing and bonus depreciation credits.

Other provisions of the bill include previously passed measures to limit regulations such as H.R. 367, which requires that Congress vote on all new major rules before they can be enacted.

Republicans claimed that their consolidated legislation would help spur economic growth and urged the Senate to take it up.

“This common-sense effort will give small buses some much-needed relief from the burdens of the tax code and allow them to invest and create new jobs,” said House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dave Camp (R-Mich.).

“I urge the Senate to stop stalling and to join us in this effort,” said House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.).

But Democrats argued that describing the legislation as “jobs bills” was a stretch.

“It is awkward and embarrassing to stand on this floor to discuss something described as a ‘Jobs for America’ bill. Fortunately, we Democrats don’t have to expend too much energy because of the lack of credibility that the majority party has with any type of legislation designed to help those people who are without employment,” said Rep. Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.).

Rep. Hank Johnson (D-Ga.) said that it was pointless for the House to re-pass legislation that the Senate was still just as unlikely to consider.

“Today, we’re eating leftovers,” Johnson said. “This chamber has already considered and passed these bills and they have no chance, no hope of becoming law.”

The White House issued a veto threat against the legislation, which it said “incorporates several bills that have previously been passed by the House during this Congress, including a number of bills for which the administration issued Statements of Administration Policy strongly opposing passage and indicating that, if presented to the president, his senior advisors would recommend that he veto them.”

Also Thursday, the House was set to pass separate consolidated package of bills it has already passed to boost domestic energy.