President Obama still is pressing Congress to pass his jobs stimulus bill immediately, but his own party leaders in the Senate, where Democrats have a majority, have pushed that vote off yet again.
Majority Leader Harry Reid, Nevada Democrat, said Monday night that when the Senate returns from a weeklong vacation, the chamber will work instead on a bill that would push to label China a currency manipulator, which would make retaliatory steps in order.
“I don’t think there’s anything more important for a jobs measure than China trade,” Mr. Reid said.
Late Monday, before he closed down the Senate, Mr. Reid locked in an early test vote for when senators return next week.
Mr. Obama two weeks ago sent Congress legislation he said would create jobs by extending and expanding temporary tax cuts and boosting infrastructure spending, which he offset by increasing taxes over the long term.
The president has been traveling the country demanding that Congress act immediately, but even his own party has not been keen to rush the legislation.
Mr. Reid is the Senate sponsor of the measure, but he said there are other priorities.
“We’ll get to that, but let’s get some of these things done that we have to get done first,” he said.
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