WASHINGTON (March 17, 2010)—The U.S. Senate sent the first of several promised election-year jobs bills to President Barack Obama for his signature Wednesday.

The measure provides for a temporary payroll tax holiday to companies that hire and would pump $20 billion into the federal highway construction fund to make up for low gasoline tax revenues.

Critics argue that it's not the job-creating engine Democrats advertised.

The bill passed Wednesday by a bipartisan 68-29 vote.

Democrats promise additional jobs legislation, but concerns about the deficit are slowing progress.

The measure would exempt businesses hiring unemployed from the 6.2 percent Social Security payroll tax through December and give employers an additional $1,000 credit if new workers stay on the job a full year.

Mr. Obama thanked lawmakers and especially Republicans for their help in passing the measure.

Mr. Obama told reporters that the bill marks the beginning of Congress' efforts to put the unemployed back to work.

Mr. Obama spoke in the Oval Office Wednesday after a meeting with Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen and said he looked forward to bipartisan support on other measures in Congress.