Senate Adjourns Without Passing Unemployment Extension

By CBS News Capitol Hill Producer John Nolen

The Senate adjourned on Friday afternoon for a two week spring recess without passing an extension to unemployment insurance benefits for the jobless which are scheduled to expire on April 5 while Congress is on vacation.

The Senate failed to act on a short term extension of benefits for unemployed workers, provide subsidies for health care coverage through COBRA and fix the scheduled reduction in payments to Medicare doctors.

Unemployment benefits expire on April 5. COBRA subsides and Medicare Doctor "fix" expire on March 28. Republicans led by Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla, (at left) blocked a one month short term extension of the benefits package insisting that the package be paid for. This is similar to the measure Sen. Jim Bunning, R-Ky, tried to block last month.

Senate Democrats and Republicans appeared to reach some type of agreement Thursday night that would have been paid for the package, but that plan was rejected by the House.

Democrats have scheduled a vote when they return in April to try to end the Republican filibuster.

[jackpaddock]

Are you kidding me! I just read that one of the bills approved was to congradulate the Chicago Blackhawks for winning the championship. Are you kidding me. I am sick and tired of all the party lines and fighting in this country. We have the House and senate acting like my kids when they were little. We should be ashamed of ourselves for allowing this. This country is on a downword spiral and all the government can do is argue. We can spend time voting on the most stupid things. How much is this celabration going to cost. Our president spends millions flying all over the world. We paid millions for an inoguration for our president. We have senators and congress people that have made fortunes while in office. Bank officials that recieved bonuses that I could live on the rest of my life. They don't pass the unemployment bill because we have too much debt and they gave these bankers how much money? How much money have we given to insurance companies? My dad got a cart because he has ms. The scooter was 3,500 on the companies website. They charged our government 32,000. Right now we need to pull together as a country or we are going to fail as individuals. We are going to lose this country.

[tammy_lee]

This is my personal take on the current job travesty...Warning: these comments are not for the faint of heart... Here's the problem: Unless you are Latino and of course, speak Spanish, you don't have much of a chance at landing a job, not even a "menial" one. They are taken.. and will be in the future, until some changes occur. I have experienced this first hand, in my futile attempts to search for work. In addition, if you have any formal education, you can just forget it all together. Companies do not want an educated, experienced employee to work for them... all they want is someone who speaks Spanish, in order to appeal and or cater to the majority of the population, (which is Latino, where I happen to live). Companies also want individuals who are not highly educated for the simple reason that they will not be able to demand as much in salary. Not so complicated. When did you ever remember having to press "1" just to hear instructions in English, in order to get some information from your banking institution??? Also, someone needs to go into the companies H.R. Dept. and confiscate all applications turned in, if they haven't been shredded already. You may see that someone who has a Spanish surname was chosen for the job over someone who did not. Just look around, next time you are at your local store... who is working? Also, look at the job internet boards.. notice how many companies are not only requesting, but requiring that applicants be BILINGUAL, and they make it clear that it is SPANISH that they want.
2-1-1 ? called for some information... rude individual on the other end.
Food Banks? SPOILED / EXPIRED foodstuffs
Employment agencies? SCAM !!! Road to nowhere..

[armyveteran]

http://www.change.org/petitions/view/we_demand_an_immediate_passage_of_bill_hr_4213_extension_of_unemployment_benefits

SIGN PETITION AND DEMAND HR 4213 UNEMPLOYMENT EXTENSION BE PASSED

[gladiator25]

The more I read the more disgusted I get. The Senate is making life a living nightmare a tragedy. We might as well live in a Third World Country. Tier 5 is so important. People have to feed their children. How do you tell kids there is nothing for them to eat. How do you provide them with medicine when they are sick and I'm speaking of the basic essentials. What about the elderly that depend on their children to help them get by. They don't eat? Disregard them? People out there who have worked and took care of their families are successful. It doesn't matter what kind of job they've had whether it isn't good enough or as good as some that have jobs. They are the earth in America. Republicans have to Stop ignoring Tier 5. It will help get them on their feet and prepare them when it is cut off. None of us expected this of our Government. N. Pelosi should pack it in she isn't any good for the people she is a laughing stock. Now you have this new one who wants to get rid of Social Security. Are they just plain stupid? Where are our heros?

[Aleema60]

WOW!! What's going on? If the Senate does not approve the unemployment extensions really fast, then America had better brace herself for a whole lot of bloodshed because people are going to snap to the conclusion that they have nothing to lose! And then we all can say, Oh Woe to America . . . . . because by then, we will really see who the homeless, starving fedup people in America are; talk about coming out!! IF THE POLITICAL PEOPLE WHO ARE PLAYING RUSSIAN ROULETTE WITH THE LIVES OF MILLIONS ARE READY FOR CHAOS ALL OVER AMERICA, JUST DON'T APPROVE THE UNEMPLOYMENT EXTENSION BENEFITS THAT HAD BEEN KEEPING THE UNEMPLOYED AFLOAT WITH THE BASIC NECESSITIES OF LIFE!

[WLantzsch]

Let me add my vote for a Tier V extension. This is so needed and the people voting against it are the ones who have a job. Maybe what needs to happen is everyone with a job should be fired and all the long-term unemployed put into these positions. Let these people feel what it feels like to be unemployed and I bet you the negative attitudes toward the unemployed will change. I have been out of work for 3 years now. I even went back to school and took a Medical Transcription course thinking this would improve my odds of finding work. Well, that has turned out to be a joke on me, because the jobs just aren't out there. I would rather be working than drawing unemployment benefits. The benefit amount you get is approximately half of what you made working, however, it is a life line and it keeps food on the table. It's like the government doesn't want to add another Tier, because now the long-term unemployment numbers will drop off the lists that count the unemployed, and it will appear that there is less unemployment than before. That is such a lie!!! The numbers won't reflect the long-term unemployed who are still unemployed. They have the mind-set of out-of-sight out-of-mind. The news needs to hold them accountable as well. The people doing the news don't really understand what the extensions and laws really mean and what is really happening when they make a change and who it involves. There needs to be another extension for the long-term unemployed that will take them through the end of the year. In the mean time, they also need to put laws in place that will give benefits to the employers that hire the long-term unemployed only. Something needs to happen that will make employers want to hire the long-term unemployed and only give them (the employer)the benefits created IF they hire the long-term unemployed. Then maybe by the end of the year we will start to see truely improved unemployment rates.

[Aleema60]

Your suggestion regarding longterm unemployment is THE BEST I've read yet and should go straight to the white house and wherever else it needs to go, for all to read!!!! As a matter of fact, everything you're saying is correct!!! To take this a step further, it should be in the hands of the media.

[Ericka45]

THIS IS THE END RESULT WHEN DEPENDING ON THE GOVERNMENT. AND THE GOVERNMENT WANTS US TO PUT OUR TRUST IN THEM FOR HEALTH CARE? ARE YOU KIDDING ME? THEY JUST EASILY TURN THEIR BACKS AND A DEAF EAR WHEN YOU NEED THEM. ABSOLUTELY NO WAY.

[Ericka45]

MAY 21,2010. NOTHING IS HAPPENING IN CONGRESS THAT EVEN SUGGESTS THIS TIER V WILL PASS. NO TALKS. NO DISCUSSIONS. AFTER EMAILING PELOSI, I RECEIVED A NICE REPLY FROM MY CONGRESSMAN THAT REITERATED THE LAST BILL WHICH THEY PASSED THAT HELPED EXTEND THE DEADLINE IN WHICH TO APPLY FOR THOSE THAT HAVE NOT YET REACHED TIER IV. FOR THOSE THAT HAVE EXHAUSTED FUNDS, IT'S A MERE HAND SHAKE AND A PAT ON THE BACK FOR GOOD LUCK. I GUESS PEOPLE OUT OF UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS AND FINDING NO WORK WILL RESORT TO PURE CHAOS AND PANDEMONIUM. THIS IS A DAMN SHAME.

[Ericka45]

How can Congress continue to ignore the desperation of the thousands of unemployed American citizens who have exhausted Tier IV unemployment benefits? They DEPEND on this life-line to support their families during this horrible time of desperately becoming re-employed -- yet finding no jobs ANYWHERE!!! NOW THAT THE UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS OF TIER IV HAVE EXHAUSTED, WHAT ARE THESE AMERICAN FAMILIES SUPPOSE TO DO???? There is no money coming into the home -- basic bills such as electricity, gas, mortgage -- CANNOT BE PAID!!! This is a total disaster!!! These good American citizens lost their jobs, THROUGH NO FAULT OF THEIR OWN, was forced to depend on the small life-line of unemployment to keep their families together -- YET CONGRESS FAILED TO ENSURE THESE BENEFITS WOULD NOT EXPIRE BEFORE JOBS COULD BE CREATED TO REPLACE THE ONES LOST. PLEASE, PRESIDENT OBAMA, I AM ONE WHO BELIEVES YOUR INTENTIONS WERE GOOD WHEN YOU SIGNED THE LAST BILL FOR UNEMPLOYMENT -- BUT SOMEHOW, AFTER IT WAS REVISED -- IT DID NOTHING FOR HELPING THOSE AT THE END OF THE LINE ON UNEMPLOYMENT. IT ONLY EXTENDED THE TIME FRAME TO APPLY. PLEASE HELP THE FAMILIES WHO DEPEND ON THIS LIFE-LINE TO SURVIVE. DON'T TURN AWAY FROM US WHEN WE NEED YOU THE MOST. PLEASE SENATORS, DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS, DON'T ARGUE AND BICKER -- COME TOGETHER AND MAKE THIS AN IMMEDIATE NECESSITY; A BILL THAT MUST BE PASSED IMMEDIATELY. EXTEND TIER V NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[aerovette]

Congress has passed an unemployment bill that only gives more time to claim benefits that have run out for the long term unemployed. Certain groups are trying to start a campaign to get more benefits for the unemployed.Even in an election year congress is not listening and the media is not even talking about it.They have sent faxes and emails to congress and the president to no avail.They keep claiming unemployment is getting better, it is not.They just drop you from the count when you benefits end.It is time we all stood up and be counted.The economy will be much worse at the end of the year when the rest of us loose our homes, cars and have no food on the table.Gallup says there are actually 21 percent unemployment.It is time to take to the streets and protest. Is this issue not more important than the three million teabaggers that just do not want to pay taxes or the illegals that do not pay taxes and are getting the jobs.There are 12 million illegals and over twenty million of us soon to be homeless.Which is more important them or us.We belong here and contributed to this great country. But all any one talks about is them. We do not even get a mention on the evening news and the government did this to us.They need to get their priorities straight.Election day is coming!