JEFFERSON CITY, Mo.(AP)– Missouri’s Republican-led House has approved a tax cut for businesses and a sales tax break on American-made products.

The House voted 95-51  Thursday to lower the state’s corporate income tax to 5.5 percent from the current 6.25 percent in January.

The new measure was attached as an amendment to a wide-ranging economic development bill that also would create new tax incentives for specific categories of businesses, including the so-called “China Hub” at Lambert Airport” and computer data centers.  The House also approved an amendment that would exempt products made in the United States from state sales taxes for a one-week period from July 1-7 in 2012 and 2013.

The bill differs significantly from a version passed by the Senate last month and from the agenda set for the special session by Gov. Jay Nixon.  Unlike senators, House members also rejected an attempt to place expiration dates on two of Missouri’s most expensive tax credit programs, which aid developers of low-income housing and historic buildings.

Copyright Associated Press