WASHINGTON, Aug 4, 2010 (AFP) – US senators cleared the way Wednesday for passage of a 26 billion dollar spending measure to fund education in cash-strapped states and health care for low-income Americans.

The chamber voted 61-38 to end debate and procedural moves to clear the way for the bill to help provide more funding to states squeezed by the economic crisis.

A final vote was expected as soon as Thursday.

The bill contains 16.1 billion dollars to extend funding for the Medicaid program for low-income Americans. It also adds 10 billion dollars for education, a move that backers say would save 100,000 teacher jobs.

"When our children start a new school year this fall, their classrooms will be less crowded and there will be a teacher at the blackboard. That's what today’s vote promises," Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said ahead of Wednesday's vote.

Republican Senators Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe joined Democrats in the procedural vote, enabling Democrats to get the 60-vote supermajority needed to end debate.

Democrats said the new spending was offset by some new revenue measures.

The bill would need approval from the House of Representatives, which is on recess until September.

House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi said in a release on Twitter that she "will be calling the House back into session early next week to save teachers' jobs and help seniors & children."

Democrat Kirsten Gillibrand also said heading back to Washington was in order.

"I think the right thing to do would be for members of the House to briefly return to Washington so that we can send the legislation to President Obama immediately and deliver assistance to local schools and hospitals right away," she said.