House passes another jobs bill

WASHINGTON (AP) - The House has passed a bill that would send billions of dollars to local governments for construction projects and welfare programs, the latest in a series of election-year jobs bills Democrats are pushing.

The House voted 246-178 on Wednesday to pass the bill, which combines $13.2 billion in interest subsidies for local construction bonds with $3.6 billion in tax cuts for small businesses. The legislation also would provide $2.5 billion to states to fund expanded welfare programs through September 2011.

Republicans argued that the tax cuts were too small and the spending too inefficient to make any significant dent in unemployment.

The bill now goes to the Senate.