unemployment benefits

Because the bill was held up for so long in the Senate, an end-of-the-year filing deadline will prevent anyone from accessing the final six weeks of benefits, according to state officials and sources on Capitol Hill.

The Detroit Free Press reports:
As expected, President Barack Obama this morning signed into law a bill extending benefits for out-of-work Americans who have exhausted their unemployment checks or will do so by year’s end.
Only 45 days after the House first passed the bill.

Yesterday it was the Senate; today the House passed legislation to extend jobless benefits at least 14 weeks nationwide.
The count was 403-12. The “nays” comprised mostly conservative Republicans who oppose the tiny employer surtax that will fund the benefit extension.
The bill will provide an additional 14 weeks of unemployment insurance in every state, with an [...]

That’s what Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) is saying now on the Senate floor. Word is that chamber leaders are nearing an agreement to stage the final vote within the next hour.
Stay tuned…

Regarding the Senate vote on unemployment insurance that went off a moment ago, it’s worth noting that the only opponent was Sen. Jim DeMint (R), who represents South Carolina, where the unemployment rate of 11.6 percent happens to be the fifth highest in the country.
We’ve got a call in to DeMint’s office to ask for [...]

The Senate on Wednesday easily cleared the last procedural barrier standing in the way of passing legislation to extend unemployment insurance benefits as long as 20 weeks nationwide.
The count was  97  to one, with Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) the only lawmaker to oppose the measure.
The lopsided vote clears the way for final passage of the [...]

As the Senate idles awaiting a procedural vote on unemployment legislation — a vote that’s held up activity on all other pending legislation and nominations — Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) this morning offered a solution that might speed things up: “Maybe [Republicans] needed another ACORN amendment,” Reid said, with no lack of sarcasm. [...]

The Senate will hold a procedural vote tomorrow at 12:15 p.m. to limit debate on legislation extending unemployment benefits in all states, Sen. Richard Durbin (D-Ill.) just announced on the chamber floor. Senate rules mandate that the final vote can’t come earlier than 30 hours after the cloture vote. To expedite final passage, however, Durbin [...]

It’s Groundhog Day in the Senate.
After voting 85-2 yesterday to proceed to legislation extending unemployment benefits at least 14 weeks nationwide, the Senate remains stalled Tuesday over a second procedural vote required to move to final passage.
Delaying the bill are (1) Republican leaders insisting on consideration of unrelated amendments, and (2) Senate rules requiring two [...]

The Senate is on the verge of passing a bill extending unemployment benefits up to 20 weeks nationwide, after lawmakers on Monday easily hopped the procedural hurdle bringing debate on the legislation to an end.
The cloture vote was a lopsided 85 to 2. After weeks of haggling over controversial amendments, only Republican Sens. Christopher Bond [...]