The US House of Representatives has approved a $15 billion jobs bill that intends to spur job creation by granting payroll tax breaks to businesses that hire new workers. The House vote was 217 to 201 with 35 Democrats voting against the measure. Six Republicans voted for the jobs bill. Among the Republicans who crossed over and voted for the bill were Don Young of Alaska, Anh Cao of Louisiana Vernon Ehlers of Michigan and Dave Camp of Michigan.

A number of progressive Democrats did not vote for the bill. This group included Maxine Waters (CA-35), Jared Polis (CO-02), Raúl Grijalva (AZ-07), Sheila Jackson-Lee (TX-18) and Barbara Lee (CA-09). Congressman Grijalva, one of the leaders of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, had dismissed the tax-credit focused bill as not “dealing with job creation.”

Other opposition to the bill came from the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC). Congressmen Bobby Rush (IL-01), Marcia Fudge (OH-11) Jesse Jackson Jr. (IL-02), Hank Johnson (GA-04) were among those who voted against the bill. On the other hand, Congressman Gregory Meeks (NY-06), one of the leaders of the Congressional Black Caucus, did vote for the bill. The CBC’s position during the month long debate on the $15 billion jobs tax credit package was fairly straightforward — CBC members don’t want to back a bill that was composed of tax breaks for business which they don’t believe will necessarily create jobs when other job-creating programs the CBC supports, such a summer youth jobs program, face an uncertain future in the Senate.

The Democratic leadership in the House, meanwhile, emphasized that this bill is just "one part" of the overall approach to job creation and that there would be additional legislation aimed at tackling the nation's highest levels of unemployment since the Great Depression in the months ahead. More on the jobs bill at the New York Times.