WASHINGTON — The Senate on Thursday overwhelmingly approved provisions from President Obama's jobs plan that found rare bipartisan appeal, including a proposal to give companies tax credits for hiring unemployed veterans.

The vets package proved too irresistible for Republicans to block, as they have most other flanks of Obama's $447 billion jobs package.

"Our veterans are one issue we should never be divided on," said Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., chief author of the veterans' provisions. The 94-1 vote on the eve of Veterans Day comes at a time when the jobless rate among Iraq and Afghanistan vets is 11.7 percent, significantly higher than the 9 percent national unemployment rate.

Obama's proposal was bolstered by attaching a popular House-passed bill that would provide job training for vets.

Leaders tacked the veterans legislation to another popular provision from Obama's package — the repeal of a forthcoming business tax on companies that contract with the government.

The overall package sailed through the Senate 95-0.

Approval now sends the proposals to the Republican-led House, which is expected to give speedy approval, possibly next week.

The vets proposal would offer companies a $5,600 tax credit for hiring each veteran that has been unemployed for six months. A smaller tax credit would be offered for bringing on vets who have been jobless a shorter period of time.

Companies also would be offered a $9,600 tax credit for hiring out-of-work veterans with service-related disabilities.

Democrats further smoothed the offer by dropping the millionaire's tax to pay for the package. Instead, the nearly $2 billion cost will be covered by extending a Veterans Affairs Administration loan fee, as proposed in the House bill.

Information from The Associated Press is included in this report.