Unemployment Extension Fails in Senate
The Senate failed late Thursday to extend programs for laid-off workers, jeopardizing unemployment benefits scheduled to expire over the weekend.
The benefits are part of a larger package of government programs, from highway funding to loans for small businesses, set to expire Sunday because senators couldn't agree on how to pay for an extension.
The House passed a bill Thursday extending the programs for a month while lawmakers consider how to address the issues long-term. Senate Democrats repeatedly tried to follow suit Thursday night but they couldn't overcome the objections of a single lawmaker, Republican Sen. Jim Bunning of Kentucky, that the $10 billion bill would add to the budget deficit.
The bill would extend unemployment payments to laid-off workers and provide them with subsidies to help pay health premiums through the COBRA program. It would extend funding for highway projects and spare doctors from a 21 percent cut in Medicare payments. It would extend a small business loan program, the National Flood Insurance Program and the copyright license used by satellite television providers.
The Senate adjourned just before midnight with no further votes scheduled until Tuesday. To avoid an interruption in benefits, senators would have to act quickly when they return, a task made difficult by Senate rules that let a single senator slow the process. Bunning vowed to fight the extensions as long as they add to the deficit, though he acknowledged they will probably eventually pass.
The dispute leaves the programs in limbo as the Senate struggles to overcome partisan bickering over a budget deficit projected to hit a record $1.56 trillion this year. Democrats are eager to address unemployment, with the jobless rate just under 10 percent and congressional elections looming in November. Some Republicans, however, are not eager to accommodate.
About 1.1 million people will lose unemployment benefits in March if the payments are not extended, according to an estimate from the National Employment Law Project, a group that advocates on behalf of low-wage workers.
Bunning said his only objection to the bill is its impact on the deficit. He proposed paying for the extensions with unspent money from the massive economic recovery package enacted a year ago, but Democrats objected.
"I believe we should pay for it," Bunning said. "I'm trying to make a point to the people of the United States of America."
Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said the nation's economic problems justify borrowing to pay for the programs. He noted that Congress, with Republican support, has extended the benefits in the past without offsetting the costs.
"We are in a serious recession, millions of Americans are out of work," Durbin said. "It is simply unfair for one senator to attempt to hold the Senate hostage on this issue."
© 2010 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The benefits are part of a larger package of government programs, from highway funding to loans for small businesses, set to expire Sunday because senators couldn't agree on how to pay for an extension.
The House passed a bill Thursday extending the programs for a month while lawmakers consider how to address the issues long-term. Senate Democrats repeatedly tried to follow suit Thursday night but they couldn't overcome the objections of a single lawmaker, Republican Sen. Jim Bunning of Kentucky, that the $10 billion bill would add to the budget deficit.
The bill would extend unemployment payments to laid-off workers and provide them with subsidies to help pay health premiums through the COBRA program. It would extend funding for highway projects and spare doctors from a 21 percent cut in Medicare payments. It would extend a small business loan program, the National Flood Insurance Program and the copyright license used by satellite television providers.
The Senate adjourned just before midnight with no further votes scheduled until Tuesday. To avoid an interruption in benefits, senators would have to act quickly when they return, a task made difficult by Senate rules that let a single senator slow the process. Bunning vowed to fight the extensions as long as they add to the deficit, though he acknowledged they will probably eventually pass.
The dispute leaves the programs in limbo as the Senate struggles to overcome partisan bickering over a budget deficit projected to hit a record $1.56 trillion this year. Democrats are eager to address unemployment, with the jobless rate just under 10 percent and congressional elections looming in November. Some Republicans, however, are not eager to accommodate.
About 1.1 million people will lose unemployment benefits in March if the payments are not extended, according to an estimate from the National Employment Law Project, a group that advocates on behalf of low-wage workers.
Bunning said his only objection to the bill is its impact on the deficit. He proposed paying for the extensions with unspent money from the massive economic recovery package enacted a year ago, but Democrats objected.
"I believe we should pay for it," Bunning said. "I'm trying to make a point to the people of the United States of America."
Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said the nation's economic problems justify borrowing to pay for the programs. He noted that Congress, with Republican support, has extended the benefits in the past without offsetting the costs.
"We are in a serious recession, millions of Americans are out of work," Durbin said. "It is simply unfair for one senator to attempt to hold the Senate hostage on this issue."
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I cannot believe that they are just shutting us off. There are many of us that go out 4-5 days a week looking for work to no avail. What happened to the days when you went to a business asked for the HR dept filled out an application and fot an interview now when you go to a business you get our jobs are posted online you need to go to our webste and apply so you go home apply for the job and hear nothing because they are indindated with applicants.
Going back a few months ago I went to apply for assistance because I cannot meet my bills on unemployment and while there I overheard a woman saying that she lost her section 8 housing because her and her boyfriend who wasn't supposed to be living with her got arrested for dealing drugs. She just got out of jail had no place to live, no money,no food.
They bent over backwards to help this woman out gave here x amount of do;;ars in emergency cash gave her x amount of money on food stamps and she was told they would work on getting her section 8 housing back for her. I went outside to put money in the meter only to have her oome out on her cell phone saying "tell so and so I got some assistance and I can give him part of the money I owe him in cash and then he can have my foodsamp card. Oh if I get desperate I will go to the ER tell them I want to go into rehab and then I will get Methadone free."
I was floored especially when I was told if I wanted to get assistance I had to tell my 26 year old daughter to move out because with her income included I didn't qualify.
Sorry I just had to get that off my chest. Back to the unemploymet I think they should do drug testing on people that get unemployment, or any other type of assistance because they are ruining it for us. Not to mention all the illegal aliens getting assitance and jobs with their fake ss numbers. Perfect example Obama's aunt living here illegally in public housing.
WE WANT TO WORK. When you walk into a job center you see hopelessness, despair, frustration & anger. These are good people who lost their jobs due to the economy & in many instances corp greed. They are doing everything to find employment.
In the past when I applied for a job I got a call, got the interview & the job. I am that good at what I do. This time I have sent out 100?s of resumes for any type of job. I expanded the search to anything I could do well. I have gone through extensive interviews only to be told that a candidate was hired from within meaning (as explained to me by their HR people) they promoted someone they could pay less although I would have taken that job for whatever they offered. Still I have hope. Hope that there are still fair employers out there & that a job is coming. Hope that this nightmare will soon be over.
Once 26 weeks was enough time to find a job. Not now. When an employer receives 500 resumes for each position, it takes weeks & months to get a call. There are screening processes in place like never before. Answer 1 question wrong & it is over. Everything is done online. We are a name on paper. It is disheartening. I am looking at a job that pays $10/hr. After taxes it will be $8. After gas to drive the 70 mile round trip to the job it will be $4. Do I pay rent or buy food? Buy food or medication. Do the math. I can pick up another part time job after I work this one, but it won't be enough.
In a few days benefits will be gone for many of us. Thinks about this: Where will we go when we lose our homes? The streets? Shelters that are too full? How will we live, maybe that is the idea. Population control. How will we afford gas for interviews? Insurance so we are not an uninsured motorist? God forbid we have an accident. How will we eat & our children go to school? How will we shower or bathe for interviews & school or get medicine. If we are lucky enough to have a place to live how will we afford a phone to be able to take calls for interviews, heat, electric, water? How will we wash our clothes to be presentable at interviews? How will we use a computer, because the job ctr computers are packed as are the library?s. What about the taxes we still have to pay. How are we going to pay taxes due when we can't afford to live? Every day more people are losing their jobs. Where are the jobs coming from? There are people working 3 &4 jobs just to be able to live-nothing more-no extras.
How much do you make if you work? What are you taking for granted? When you go to bed did you have enough to eat? Sleeping in a warm home, on clean sheets maybe watching tv & wondering what to wear tomorrow? Were you able to afford medicine? Did you throw leftovers away? When shopping did you have to decide between 2 products because of price or how far it could be stretched? Things you, our representatives in Washington & our President need to think about.
I am among these people. We have become statistics. You don't understand the implications of being downsized & having to depend on the govt for your very existence. I couldn't have survived without it, but I want to earn my own way, make my own contribution, but when it goes on day after day, week after week, month after month, you get beaten down & wonder if it will ever end. You say there is no incentive for us to find jobs? You are wrong. Most of us come from lives where work is part of who we are. WE WANT TO WORK we don't need incentives to get out & look. We don't want to wait until there are no more benefits or we are at the end of our benefits, that doesn't even make sense!
The President, whom I greatly respect, has not done enough work on the economy & jobs. His first & it seems only priority is healthcare reform. So as we waited for Congress to come to a decision to extend our benefits, he took them into a healthcare summit to play politics &here we sit with nothing resolved. I think that sums it all up.
I am glad so many of you are obviously among those who do not have to work, or who did not lose their job & grateful that you have not had to experience what we have & how worthless it makes you feel. How can there be people out there with this self righteous attitude? We too want JOBS. We want to be part of working America, but until then, the govt created this scenario, now help is needed until it resolves. You want to do something besides spouting ignorant perceptions? Help us spread the word. Don't let people lump us into a group of people taking advantage of the situation we are in. Contact the President & your representatives. Speak up & fight with us because believe it or not, there is a chance that one day it could be you & it feels a whole lot different on this side. Sen. Bunning needs to realize we are people, not political hay.