Obama extends jobless benefits, mortgage break
November 7, 2009
President Obama signed a $24 billion economic stimulus bill into law Friday, giving tax incentives to prospective home buyers and additional jobless benefits to those idled by the business slump.
The bill-signing came a day after the House, displaying rare bipartisan agreement over the troubling national employment picture, voted 403-12 to pass the measure. The Senate had approved it unanimously Wednesday.
The White House said the law, which also includes tax cuts for struggling businesses, builds on provisions in the $787 billion stimulus package enacted last February to avert an economic meltdown.
"The need for such a measure was made clear by the jobs report that we received this morning," Obama said. AP