Reid Suggests "Jobs" Bill

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) has floated the idea of putting together a new economic stimulus spending/tax cut bill in an effort to slow further deterioration in the jobs market.

Senate Democrats will take up a new job-creation bill in the wake of the 10.2 percent unemployment rate, Majority Leader Harry Reid told his colleagues Tuesday.

Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) told The Hill that Reid (D-Nev.) made the announcement about a new jobs bill at the Senate Democrats’ weekly lunch.

Reid said he was looking at an initiative focused on job creation “and that our caucus will take it up,” Cardin said.

Reid didn’t specify what would be in the bill, but he said that it was going to be “one of the priorities” for the Senate, Cardin added.

Cardin said Reid offered no additional specifics, such as timing for a new jobs bill.

Sen. Patty Murray (Wash.), a member of Senate Democratic leadership, said that the conference is focused on ways to create jobs but that no decision about legislation has been made.

Walter Alarkon, author of the the referenced article, does not refer to the proposed proposal as "stimulus," calling it a "jobs bill." Whether this word selection is the part of effective Democratic messaging or editorial precision is unclear. What is apparent is that the word "stimulus" isn't being thrown around as a generic reference to provisions that are intended to stimulate the economy.

Regardless, Alarkon does state that "Congressional Democrats and the White House have sought to boost the economy in recent months without resorting to another stimulus package." In other words Congressional Dems and President Obama are seeking measures to stimulate the economy but they're just doing it steering clear of the "s" word.

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