Democrats introduce jobs package

WASHINGTON — Senate Democrats have unveiled their jobs initiative, blending a tax cut for businesses that hire new workers with help for the unemployed — along with a raft of provisions sought by lobby groups like doctors and the satellite broadcasting industry.

The 362-page measure is still in draft form and has not been officially released. It has bipartisan backing but very few new ideas for creating jobs, other than a $10-billion plan to exempt companies from paying the employer’s share of Social Security payroll taxes for new workers hired this year.

The rest of the measure is mostly comprised of last year’s unfinished business, including renewal of business tax breaks that have expired, an extension of unemployment benefits and health insurance subsidies and higher Medicare payments for doctors.