The measure now goes to President Obama for his signature.

It passed overwhelmingly by a vote of 403-12.

The legislation includes an additional six weeks of extended benefits for states with especially high jobless rates.

Congress has already approved two extensions of jobless benefits.

The measure also extends an eight-thousand-dollar tax credit for first-time homebuyers.

Without congressional action, the popular tax credit would have expired at month's end.

Additionally, the legislation expands the tax credit to higher-income buyers and grants a 65-hundred-dollar credit to buyers who have owned a home for at least five years.