Congress nears OK of bill for vets, contractors

By The Associated Press
Posted: 5:46 pm Wed, November 16, 2011

WASHINGTON — Congressional Democrats and Republicans rallied on a rare patch of common ground Wednesday, moving toward passage of legislation helping unemployed veterans and government contractors.

The GOP-run House was expected to give the measure near unanimous approval, less than a week after the Democratic-led Senate passed it 95-0. It would represent the first tiny shred of President Barack Obama’s ambitious, nearly $450 billion job-creation package, to become law.

Despite the newfound party unity on this single, narrow issue, Democrats and Republicans also used the floor discussion to highlight their political differences.

Republicans said it was time for the Senate to approve nearly 20 House-passed bills that they say would create jobs, mostly by repealing or blocking energy and other regulations, and they touted Wednesday’s vote as part of that drive.