On the recordFebruary 22, 2010
we all went home over this recess--most of us did--and we heard very clear messages. At least I can tell you I did. The messages are: Address the problems that face us and reach out a hand across the aisle and do it together. Pretty simple. Today we have a chance to do that. Today we have a very clear chance to do that and to lift the spirits of the American people. The bill we will be voting on--actually we are voting to take it up, in essence; we need 60 votes to do that, unfortunately, because there is a filibuster again on this--is a very simple, straightforward jobs bill. It has four parts. Two relate to tax breaks for business for doing good things. One is buying new equipment and getting a break on the expensing. The other is hiring people who have been unemployed for 60 days or more. The other two pieces involve the extension of the highway trust fund and the Build America Bond program, and that relates to building our infrastructure.
