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University of Wisconsin–Madison
Poverty-related issues in the news, from the Institute for Research on Poverty

Extension of Jobless Benefits

Millions to lose unemployment benefits if Congress doesn’t act, By Tami Luhby, October 11, 2011, CNNMoney.com: “Millions of unemployed Americans are waiting for Congress to do something other than trade barbs over their job creation plans. If lawmakers don’t act soon, the jobless see their unemployment checks start to disappear come January. More than 6 million Americans are set to lose federal unemployment benefits in 2012, with 1.8 million running out in January alone, according to new figures from the National Employment Law Project. President Obama’s $447 billion American Jobs Act would extend the deadline to file for federal unemployment benefits for another year. Though the Senate is expected to take up the controversial jobs bill on Tuesday, it’s unlikely to get very far…”