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Pelosi Hopes to Move This Week on Senate Jobs Bill

Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said Wednesday that she wants the House to move quickly — as soon as this week — on the jobs bill that cleared the Senate earlier in the day.

“We’re hoping so,” she said of moving the $15 billion package in the next couple days. That could require putting off additions that some House leaders are pushing to bring the measure more closely in line with the $154 billion version that cleared their chamber late last year. But the Speaker signaled it was a sacrifice she would be willing to make in order to deliver a swift win. “It’s not the last jobs bill,” she said in a brief interview. “Some Members have some things they’d like to see. … I’m not sure they can make it into this bill.”

Senators voted 70-28 Wednesday for a $15 billion jobs package that includes incentives for small-business hiring, tax breaks for small business and some infrastructure aid.

But House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.) said House Democrats could still make changes to the Senate measure and approve the package this week by working out an agreement with the Senate outside of formal conference negotiations. “If what they’ve done over there with their vote is setting up a possible pingpong scenario, why shouldn’t we go that route?” Clyburn said. “I think it gives us a much better bill. … You can pingpong something in a matter of minutes.”

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