Highlights of Senate bill extending tax breaks, jobless aid

Highlights of Senate jobless aid bill

Highlights of Senate legislation extending unemployment insurance and expired tax breaks:

—Tax relief: Extends through 2010 a variety of popular tax breaks that expired at the end of 2009, including an individual income tax deduction for sales and property taxes, and a business tax credit for research and development. Extends a variety of energy and alternative fuel tax credits. Cost: $26 billion.

—Unemployment assistance: Extends through Dec. 31 unemployment assistance for the long-term jobless and a 65 percent health insurance subsidy for the unemployed. Cost: about $69 billion.

—State aid: Extends assistance for Medicaid budgets through July 2011. Cost: about $25 billion.

—Medicare payments: Gives doctors a seven-month reprieve from a 21 percent cut in Medicare payments that would otherwise go into effect April 1. Cost: $7 billion.

—Farm aid: Helps farmers affected by heavy rains, floods and other weather-related disasters. Cost: about $1.5 billion.

—Pension funding relief: Gives pension plans additional time to make up for recent stock market losses.

—Flood insurance: Extends the federal flood insurance program through 2019.

—Satellite television: Renews and updates the law governing satellite television.