House Approves $26 Billion Jobs Bill

A controversial $26 billion “jobs bill” was passed by the House Tuesday. The bill, which is designed to help states save teacher, police officers and public health worker jobs, was favored by Democrats and was approved in a largely party-line vote, ABC News reports.

The measure was passed by the Senate last week and was approved in a rare August vote by the House. Member of Congress were brought back to Washington from their six-week summer break by Speaker Nancy Pelosi for one day in order to vote on the bill.

The package includes $10 billion to keep an estimated 16,000 teachers across the country employed and an additional $16 billion to assist states in their Medicaid payments for six months. An additional 150,00 police officer and other jobs are also estimated to be saved by the spending.

In opposing the measure, Republicans referred to the bill as a “bailout.” They also called it “political pandering” in the runup to the November elections.

“We are not bankrupting the country fast enough and so we need to come back and spend even more,” said California Republican Rep. Tom McClintock.,