Senate Advances Bill Extending Unemployment Benefits
The Senate on Tuesday moved a step closer to passing a 14-week, nationwide extension of unemployment benefits, clearing a procedural hurdle that will bring the
The Senate on Tuesday moved a step closer to passing a 14-week, nationwide extension of unemployment benefits, clearing a procedural hurdle that will bring the bill to the chamber floor.
The vote count was 87 to 13 — well beyond the 60 yeas required to proceed to the floor debate.
The proposal had been held up for almost three weeks as party leaders wrangled over a series of controversial GOP amendments, including one to defund ACORN and another to keep illegal immigrants from entering the job market.
Democrats have argued that the Republican amendments are unrelated to the underlying bill. Three times in recent weeks, party leaders have asked for GOP consent to pass the legislation unanimously, only to be rebuffed by Republicans on each occasion.
Meanwhile, unemployment numbers continue to rise. Nationwide, the unemployment rate hit 9.8 percent in September, according to the Labor Department — the highest level since 1983. “It isn’t just the Democrats who are out of work,” Sen. Richard Durbin (D-Ill.) said before Tuesday’s vote. “This is a time for bipartisanship.”
The Senate bill would extend unemployment insurance by 14 weeks nationwide, while tacking on an additional six weeks in those states where jobless rates have topped 8.5 percent. The House last month passed a less generous bill, extending unemployment benefits for 13 weeks, but only in high-unemployment states.
Related
Rep. Patrick McHenry: Please, Conservatives, Fill Out Your Census Forms!
The conservative congressman from North Carolina, a constant critic of the census -- one of the people who sounded the alarm about politicization when the
Rep. Paulsen allies with medical device industry to relax FDA oversight
Source: Flickr; Republicanconference (www.flickr.com/photos/republicanconference) On the heels of the Minnesota Independent story last week about U.S. Rep. Erik Paulsen’s cozy financial relationship with the medical device industry, the New York Times reported Tuesday that some health professionals are alarmed by Paulsen’s push to relax Food and Drug Administration (FDA) oversight
Rep. Parker Griffith (R-Ala.)
One of the most conservative Democrats in the House -- a freshman who said he couldn’t support Nancy Pelosi again -- is going to switch over to the GOP. Josh
Rep. Paulsen touts balanced budget constitutional amendment
In a post for the conservative blog True North , U.S. Rep
Rep. Paulsen, Karl Rove the latest to get ‘glittered’
Rep. Erik Paulsen and former Bush staffer Karl Rove were both showered with glitter at the Midwest Leadership Conference Friday
Rep. Paul Ryan to deliver SOTU response
Chairman of the House Budget Committee Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) will deliver the Republican response to the State of the Union Tuesday, according to Mike Allen
Rep. Perlmutter criticizes House measure that would eliminate 800K federal jobs
Congressman Ed Perlmutter today issued a scathing statement criticizing the House of Representatives for passing a spending bill that could put nearly a million federal employees out of work. The Colorado delegation voted strictly on party lines, with all four Republicans voting in favor of the bill and the three Democrats voting in opposition. Perlmutter’s statement: “My number one priority is to get people back to work because that’s the best thing we can do to pay our debt and move forward toward economic stability
Rep. Perlmutter to hold constituent meet-up in grocery store
Colorado Congressman Ed Perlmutter will hold a Government in the Grocery constituent meet-up this evening from 5-7 at the Safeway at 38th and Wadsworth in Wheat Ridge. The address is 3900 Wadsworth. The meeting, where Perlmutter typically sits at a folding table and talks to whomever shows up, is free and open to the public
Rep. Peace, ACLU seek investigation of soldier’s allegations of racial discrimination in Afghanistan
Both Rep. Steve Pearce (R-NM) and the American Civil Liberties Union agree: There needs to be an investigation into Spc.
School of Hock
A growing number of college grads are defaulting on their student loans as the economy worsens.
