On Tuesday, lawmakers returned to Washington, DC for an emergency one-day session to vote on a $26 billion bill that to save the jobs of over 300,000 civil servants throughout the country. The bill passed, despite strong Republican opposition, and President Obama immediately signed the legislation into law to the delight of teachers, police officers and others.

"We can't stand by and do nothing while pink slips are given to the men and women who educate our children or keep our communities safe," President Obama said during a ceremony at the White House celebrating the occasion with teachers.

The president praised the diligence of lawmakers. The bill was narrowly approved by the Senate last Thursday, members of the House cut short their summer break to approve the legislation in a 247-161 vote. Many Republicans did not support the measure calling it a giveaway to teachers' unions and an example of wasteful Washington.

"Teachers, nurses and cops should not be used as pawns in a cynical political game" resulting from "the Democratic majority's failure to govern responsibly," said Representative David Dreier (R-CA).

"Where do the bailouts end?" asked House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH). "Are we going to bail out states next year and the year after that, too? At some point we've got to say, 'Enough is enough.'"

According to MSNBC.com, the money to pay the states to keep these jobs alive will mainly come from closing a tax loophole used by multinational corporations and by reducing food stamp benefits for the poor.

With many schools planning to open the school year with less faculty, Education Secretary Arne Duncan said his department is working on getting the money to local school districts quickly to "avert a crisis for the year."

$10 billion from the bill will go to school districts to rehire laid-off teachers. The Education Department estimates that could save 160,000 jobs.