Unemployment insurance extension stalls in Senate

[tonysam]

An effort to expand unemployment insurance for millions of Americans stalled Thursday in the Senate amid criticism the proposal is unfair to some states.

The bill, which easily cleared the House last week, would offer an additional 13 weeks of benefits to jobless Americans in states with unemployment rates above 8.5 percent. Currently, unemployed persons can collect this assistance for only one set of 13 weeks.

Both Democrats and Republicans seem to agree with the thrust of the legislation, but Senate lawmakers in particular are now voicing their concerns that the proposal would disadvantage jobless workers in the 23 states that have unemployment levels below the bill's 8.5 percent threshold.


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Words absolutely fail me how screwed up the Senate's priorities are. These millionaires are completely out of touch with the reality of average Americans' lives. As somebody who is about to run out of extended benefits, I am absolutely outraged, especially at the Democrats who are holding this needed legislation hostage, yet the media is more focused on health care or Polanski than whether or not tens of thousands of people go without any means of financial support.

[tonysam]

1. Kick n/t

[midnight]

2. They certainly are out of touch. So much stonewalling when

it comes to standing up for the American people.

[midnight]

3. They certainly are out of touch. So much stonewalling when

it comes to standing up for the American people.

[gateley]

6. I may be missing this, but I think it's because they want to be fair to everyone

in every state that this has come to a stall. I think it's a valid point -- they should extend benefits to those who need it in all 50 states. Hope that's what they end up doing.

[tonysam]

8. Not if it kills the whole thing,and

it could. The Senate should quit fucking around with people's lives this way.

[gateley]

10. And then again, maybe it won't kill it and it'll wind up even better than it is now. nt

[The Straight Story]

4. Guess citizens are not too big to fail (nt)

[asdjrocky]

18. Dude......+1

[thunder rising]

5. Republicans simply hate America. They must think we are ALL like they are: lazy, unmotivated and

incompetent.

do they even *get* the anxiety attacks that folks suffer from long term unemployment.

Fuck 'em

When people start foraging for food ... anarchy will follow.

[tonysam]

7. Just as Appalling

is there are Democrats like Jeanne Shaheen who would torpedo the whole thing because of her "concern" with states with lower levels of unemployment would not be covered in the current legislation.

Pass the damned thing now and deal with the problem with the 23 other states later.

What kills me is these idiots are now taking three days off while the rest of us worry about whether we can pay the rent or buy groceries.

[defendandprotect]

9. Not good -- very bad . . .

[Omnibus]

11. The senate should pass a seperate bill extending benefits for every state.

I'm in a state that's below the 8.5% line, even though my town is is well over that mark. I'd like a job, but failing that, I'd like an extension of my unemployment benefits, please.

Don't leave me out to dry just because of where I live.

[tonysam]

12. I totally agree with you

It should be in a separate bill. Because things are SO desperate out here in the real world outside of D.C., Congress needs to quit holding this needed legislation hostage.

DEMOCRATIC senators are the ones holding up the legislation.

[NikkiMarieO]

13. Help us!!

I am with you. Email your local Senator!!! Everyone stand up and take action. Push these men to not let Americans drown in this flooding society. There are no jobs. My unemployment ran out!!! Help!! I have children.

[asdjrocky]

19. Hey welcome to DU.

And hang in there, things might just get better.

[tonysam]

14. Here is more about what Jeanne Shaheen

is trying to do:

Shaheen and other members of the Senate this week have been fighting a House-passed bill that would extend the benefits only to people from states where the jobless rate is at least 8.5 percent. That leaves out states with lower unemployment rates, such as New Hampshire.

Shaheen's measure would offset the cost of extending unemployment by using some of the taxpayer-funded TARP bailout funds to support workers. She plans to offer her amendment to legislation that will only offer four weeks of extended unemployment benefits to workers in 23 states, while the other 27 states would receive 17 weeks of extended unemployment benefits.


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I fear the unemployed in the hardest hit states will be screwed over if the entire legislation is killed because of her antics.

She should offer a separate bill to deal with states with lower levels of unemployment.

[undeterred]

15. Well the remedy is to extend benefits for all states.

My state is right on the edge (8.4%), so I don't know if we would get it or not.

[tonysam]

16. I don't believe the legislation should be killed

because low unemployment states like North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming aren't included. The unemployment situation is too dire in the majority of the states for people in the Senate to be playing politics.

Shaheen needs to knock it off and the Senate pass the legislation--as the House passed it--and deal with the other states in other legislation.

People are going without all over the country and need the money like yesterday.

[asdjrocky]

17. Fat rich bastards the lot of them.

Pimps and whores, pimps and whores.