Jobs bill clears Senate hurdle

Senate Democratic leaders needed 60 votes to clear a procedural hurdle on the bill, and they got help from five Republicans to score a 62-30 victory.

Oklahoma Sens. Tom Coburn, R-Muskogee, and Jim Inhofe, R-Tulsa, voted against it. Once the Senate gives final approval to the bill, the House will have to concur.

"This is going to create jobs,” said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Democrat from Nevada.

Before the vote, Reid almost pleaded with Republicans to back the bill, saying it was a good first step to spur job creation in the private sector.

"Republicans have supported every part of this bill in the past,” Reid said just before the vote. "There’s simply no reason it shouldn’t receive overwhelming support” from both parties. "Who can complain about this bill?”