GOP Kills Bill to Hire Teachers, First Responders

One day after teachers, firefighters, police officers and other workers converged on Capitol Hill last week, Senate Republicans killed legislation that would have funded 400,000 teaching and emergency service jobs nationwide.

Vice President Joe Biden and Democratic senators held a news conference with the workers Oct. 19, urging lawmakers to pass a tiny tax surcharge on incomes over $1 million to put teachers and first responders back to work. Someone earning $1.1 million, for instance, would have paid just $500 extra in taxes.

Calling the GOP's obstruction "unacceptable," President Obama said, "We must do what's right for the country and pass the common-sense proposals in the American Jobs Act. Every American deserves an explanation as to why Republicans refuse to step up to the plate and do what's necessary to create jobs and grow the economy right now."

The GOP's threatened filibuster, killing the bill, was the second time in less than two weeks that Republicans have blocked Obama's jobs creation package.