(From the FT.com) The US Senate on Monday voted to move forward on a $15bn jobs bill proposed by Harry Reid, leader of the Democratic majority in the Senate. The 62-30 vote in favor of ending “cloture” prevents a Republican filibuster and came as an exception to the months of gridlock in Congress. It will pave the way for a jobs bill to clear the Senate, just as other critical employment benefits are set to expire.

Democrats needed to secure two Republican votes to block the filibuster and one came thanks to Scott Brown, making his first vote since he filled Edward Kennedy’s former seat in Massachusetts. “I hope this is the beginning of a new day in the Senate,” Mr Reid said, invoking Mr Brown by name for his bipartisanship.

The scaled-back measure is expected to create 250,000 jobs through an array of tax credits and payroll tax exemptions to stimulate hiring. The bill frees businesses from payroll taxes on workers who are hired after more than 60 days of unemployment and gives them a tax credit of $1,000 for new hires that they keep for more than a year.

Read more here: US senate moves ahead on $15bn jobs bill