Extension of Jobless Benefits

Posted on April 6, 2010 by townsend

• Unemployment benefits expire as Congress debates extension, By Clement Tan, April 6, 2010, Los Angeles Times: “As unemployment benefits expired Monday for tens of thousands of jobless workers, Democrats and Republicans renewed their haggling over whether to vote for an extension when Congress returns from its spring break next week. At the heart of the dispute is whether the extension should be offset by spending cuts, as Republicans are demanding, or whether it constitutes an emergency, as Democrats say. The expiration means 212,000 unemployed people will lose benefits this week, according to figures provided by the National Employment Law Project…”
• Unemployment benefits to run out for some, By David Welna, April 5, 2010, National Public Radio: “Nearly 400,000 jobless Americans are going to see their long-term unemployment benefits cut off after Congress failed to pass a short-term extension before taking a two-week break. Members of the House already had voted to extend jobless benefits and went home for the spring break. Everyone knew those benefits would be running out Monday should the Senate fail to act. On the Senate’s last day in session, Iowa Democrat Tom Harkin pleaded with his Republican colleagues on the Senate floor: ‘Let’s have a little heart. Let’s have a little compassion. Let’s have a little understanding of what these people are going through every day in their lives, the stress that they have. Let’s do the right thing, and extend the unemployment benefits for one month.’ Oklahoma Republican Tom Coburn objected. He said he was all for extending unemployment benefits as long as they were paid for, which they were not in the measure the House passed…”