WASHINGTON — A measure blending highway funding eagerly sought by the states with tax breaks for companies that hire unemployed workers appeared headed for House passage today as Democrats work to send President Barack Obama the first of several promised election-year jobs bills.

Some Democrats, especially those representing minority districts, feel the Senate's $35 billion proposal is too puny. The pressure, however, is on Democrats to create jobs and to deliver a badly needed win for Obama and a Democratic Party that's struggling in opinion polls and faces losses in upcoming midterm elections.

At the same time, the Senate is debating a far more costly "extenders" measure that cleans up a lot of unfinished business from last year. The Senate's $100 billion-plus bill would extend unemployment assistance, revive a bevy of popular but expired tax breaks, help states with soaring Medicaid costs and prevent doctors from having to absorb big cuts in Medicare payments.