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Senate Democrats “said Thursday they have reached a deal to extend unemployment insurance benefits to the nearly 2 million jobless workers across the country who are in danger of running out of assistance by the end of the year,” the AP reports.
The agreement would give an additional 14 weeks of benefits to jobless workers in all 50 states. Workers in states with an unemployment rate at 8.5 percent or above would receive six weeks on top of that.
An attempt to unanimously pass the House bill, H.R. 3548, with the Senate’s compromise version inserted in place of the House provisions met objection by Senate Republicans today on the floor.
Minority Whip Jon Kyl (R-AZ) said that Republicans needed time to review the legislation, offer their ideas on the bill and see a Congressional Budget Office (CBO) score of the measure.
Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) quipped that Republicans had found a new stalling tactic: waiting for a CBO score.
October 8, 2009 - by Donny Shaw The Senate has been stalled on voting to extend unemployment benefits like the House did two weeks ago. But they’ve finally figured out how to move forward and it involves extending the benefits for more people than the House bill would. The Hill reports:
Senate Democrats on Thursday introduced a bill that would extend unemployment insurance benefits by 14 weeks at most for jobless Americans in every state.
The new effort — spearheaded by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and Sens. Max Baucus (D-Mont.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) – ends weeks of bickering among Democrats over how long the extension would last and who would be eligible for it.
“Chairman Baucus and I worked with our colleagues Senators Reed and Shaheen for the last two weeks to broker an agreement that provides critical assistance to unemployed workers across the nation,” Reid said Thursday in a statement. “This agreement recognizes the need to extend unemployment benefits for workers in every state whose unemployment benefits have run out or will do so in the next several weeks.
Under the new proposal, jobless Americans about to run out of benefits would receive up to 14 additional weeks of unemployment insurance, and those without work in states with unemployment rates exceeding 8.5 percent would receive another six weeks on top of that. Both expansions are paid for in full by an extension of the Federal Unemployment Tax – a yearly fee employers pay – until 2011, the four lawmakers indicated.
The bill approved by the House (H.R. 3548) would extend benefits by 13 weeks and only in states with jobless rates above 8.5 percent. That would have left out about 23 states, even though unemployment has gone up in all those states since the economy started turning south. A list of unemployment rates by state can be seen here.
A joint Senate press release adds this:
The proposal includes a modification to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to allow families receiving the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), or food stamps, to remain eligible while receiving an additional $25 per week in unemployment insurance benefits. The bill would also update the Unemployment Insurance Modernization provision in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to allow victims of sexual assault who have left their job to be eligible for benefits under the “compelling family reasons” clause. Additionally, the legislation specifies railroad workers facing expiring unemployment benefits would be eligible for additional weeks.
Democrats tried to bring the new bill to the floor today for quick passage, but the unanimous consent agreement was blocked by Minority Whip Sen. Jon Kyl [R, AZ]. Kyl said that he wanted to see a CBO score for the bill before they vote, to which, according to Senatus, Sen. Harry Reid [D, NV] quipped – Republicans had found a new stalling tactic: waiting for a CBO score.
Still, expect this to pas the Senate soon. Once it passes it will have to be reconciled with the Senate bill and passed again by each chamber, unless the House simply adopts the Senate language. In that case it will only need another vote from the House
October 8, 2009 - by Donny Shaw
The Senate has been stalled on voting to extend unemployment benefits like the House did two weeks ago. But they’ve finally figured out how to move forward and it involves extending the benefits for more people than the House bill would. The Hill reports:
Senate Democrats on Thursday introduced a bill that would extend unemployment insurance benefits by 14 weeks at most for jobless Americans in every state.
The new effort — spearheaded by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and Sens. Max Baucus (D-Mont.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) – ends weeks of bickering among Democrats over how long the extension would last and who would be eligible for it.
“Chairman Baucus and I worked with our colleagues Senators Reed and Shaheen for the last two weeks to broker an agreement that provides critical assistance to unemployed workers across the nation,” Reid said Thursday in a statement. “This agreement recognizes the need to extend unemployment benefits for workers in every state whose unemployment benefits have run out or will do so in the next several weeks.
Under the new proposal, jobless Americans about to run out of benefits would receive up to 14 additional weeks of unemployment insurance, and those without work in states with unemployment rates exceeding 8.5 percent would receive another six weeks on top of that. Both expansions are paid for in full by an extension of the Federal Unemployment Tax – a yearly fee employers pay – until 2011, the four lawmakers indicated.
The bill approved by the House (H.R. 3548) would extend benefits by 13 weeks and only in states with jobless rates above 8.5 percent. That would have left out about 23 states, even though unemployment has gone up in all those states since the economy started turning south. A list of unemployment rates by state can be seen here.
A joint Senate press release adds this:
The proposal includes a modification to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to allow families receiving the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), or food stamps, to remain eligible while receiving an additional $25 per week in unemployment insurance benefits. The bill would also update the Unemployment Insurance Modernization provision in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to allow victims of sexual assault who have left their job to be eligible for benefits under the “compelling family reasons” clause. Additionally, the legislation specifies railroad workers facing expiring unemployment benefits would be eligible for additional weeks.
Democrats tried to bring the new bill to the floor today for quick passage, but the unanimous consent agreement was blocked by Minority Whip Sen. Jon Kyl [R, AZ]. Kyl said that he wanted to see a CBO score for the bill before they vote, to which, according to Senatus, Sen. Harry Reid [D, NV] quipped – Republicans had found a new stalling tactic: waiting for a CBO score.
Still, expect this to pas the Senate soon. Once it passes it will have to be reconciled with the Senate bill and passed again by each chamber, unless the House simply adopts the Senate language. In that case it will only need another vote from the House
I can't wait to see the spin that the media puts on this in the morning. Or rather even tonight. I want to see if they put this JERK on blast. This is so unbelieveable. Just when we were so close... What's amazing is that I found this article which shows their unemployment rate to be @ 9.1% for August.
I wonder what area of the state he is from to discredit the fact that they were in the original group of ailing states that this original bill was meant for! His local constituents probably have no clue but overall for the state they should be ashamed to have him representing. This was my favorite quote fom the article: There’s also no sign so far of large numbers of formerly discouraged jobseekers trying anew to re-enter the work force, a development that could cause the unemployment rate to rise even as the overall economy improves.
Translation: Because our numbers are high means that people just simply are not trying and THEY are the reason why we are in this dire situation. Really? Is that the mindset of the leaders from Arizona????????? That is so frickin insulting!
When will the extension pass and to continue to receive or benefits??
I want to know how soon after it is pass will we receive benefits. i wish those fat cats in Dc would have to live on 320 a week and pay everything we have to pay. what they think we doing wityh this damm money.. starting a new nation, funding the terrorist. how about making sure i have a place to stay. I need money to pay my rent and electric bill. I been diligently doing what i am suppose to do. i went back to school. i been doing my job search. i been going into the work development. i Have been doing everything i am supposed to do beside steal and i cant get them brook brother suit wearing steak eating rich senators who don't have to worry about their next meal or the rent man putting their stuff out on the street. THEY NEED TO PASS THE BILL AND LET US GET ON WITH OUR LIFE'S, sorry , I am frustrated that what happen when you don't have control over your life. people can do what ever they want to do........... sorry i am done venting..................
[SIZE=2]Senate Democrats have reached an agreement on legislation that would extend emergency unemployment benefits -- implemented under the 2008 Supplemental Appropriations Act (P.L. 110-252) -- by up to 14 weeks for jobless workers in all 50 states. The bill would also extend benefits for six additional weeks in states with unemployment levels exceeding 8.5 percent. Get the full story at www.CapitolHillReports.com.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2][/SIZE]
When will the extension pass and to continue to receive or benefits??
Based on what I've read (mostly from links posted here) the senate will have to vote and pass the current plan after hearing back on the figures from the CBO, then if passed, the House can either pass it with a quick vote or they will have to reword it and pass it and send it back to the Senate to pass it again with the rewording.
Realistically this could be over next week or it could continue to drag on for weeks. Once it is passed I would guess the money will be available to make claims pretty rapidly, within a week or two of us hearing it has passed, since it is being paid out federally instead of through the state like the SEB that took so long to come available.
I would therefore predict we will see money in the bank (if we qualify) in 3-7 weeks. This is guesswork on my part, and I certainly hope it will be sooner.
Senate Democrats Reach Compromise on Unemployment Benefits Extension
Thursday, October 8, 2009 - 10:00 PM
The update filed this evening at 10:00 pm by Capitol Hill Reports on line does answer clarify some issues not addressed in the news reports earlier today:
(1) Senate Democrats have reached an agreement on legislation that would extend emergency unemployment benefits -- implemented under the 2008 Supplemental Appropriations Act (P.L. 110-252) -- by up to 14 weeks for jobless workers in all 50 states. The bill would also extend benefits for six additional weeks in states with unemployment levels exceeding 8.5 percent. [The 2008 Supplemental Appropriations Act created the Tier I and Tier II extensions; it does not govern EB. Therefore, it is logical to assume that the new extension will be Tier III -- and is likely to be administered by the states as they administered Tier I and Tier II.]
(2) The compromise bill also would amend the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (P.L. 111-5) to allow individuals receiving food stamps to remain eligible while receiving an additional $25 per week in unemployment benefits, and would allow victims of sexual assault who have left their job to be eligible for benefits under the "compelling family reasons" clause. In addition, the legislation would provide an extension of unemployment benefits that would otherwise expire to railroad workers. [These amendments to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act were not included in HR 3548 -- and so are completely new additions to be approved by the House.]
(3) Majority Leader Reid attempted to bring H.R. 3548 to the Senate floor today, but Republican Whip Jon Kyl (R-AZ) objected. [This confirms that the Reid-Baucus-Reed-Shaheen bill is built on the bill already passed by the House -- which should expedite its passage by the House, even with the Senate revisions.]
(4) If GOP leadership objections continue, Reid will likely move H.R. 3548 through a series of procedural votes to end debate and move to final passage of the bill.
Prior to a final vote, Reid is expected to offer the Senate Democratic compromise as a substitute amendment to the bill. [This is Reid's strategy for passage now.]
Senate votes in relation to H.R. 3548 could occur as early as Tuesday, Oct. 13. [Likely timing of passage by the Senate.]
An unemployment extension proposal, in one form or another, is expected to pass the Senate with bipartisan support. [Likely outcome.]
Once the Senate clears its proposal, both chambers will have to agree to a final version before sending the bill to President Obama.
Great job everyone following up on this-sorry I missed this last night due to eating some bad cooked chicken from Kroger-it was a rough night.
I think we all should email/call the minority whip from AZ and tell him what we think. There is an msnbc article on newsvine about this possible extension and the Republicans are spreading their cheerless and unhappy existance heavily. I swear the Republican party-both the elected people and the voters are certifiable. I will post the link-don't get mad at the comments that were made as you have to keep in mind the source. I think they would be happy if we had never received anything as they are totally clueless to what is going on in the economy. Even if we all lost everything we had-they still would not be appeased as they think all our Country's problems have been created by the Democrats. As if. Newsvine - Senate Democrats reach deal on aid to jobless
On a more positive note-the House has added "gays" to the hate crime legislation and passed it. Now all of the US citizens are afforded protection against hate crimes and this is a good thing. Of course once the Senate Repub's get it, I am sure it will be flammed down as we all know the good Christians that the repub's are hate anyone who is different from them.
Senator Kyl is up for re-election this year. I'm pretty sure he won't be re-elected. He is also credited with saying that he didn't need or want to pay for maternity coverage in the health care reform debates and was shot down with a reply from a woman Senator-that his mother would have wanted it. What an idiot!
On another note-Senate is in pro forma session today which means-A brief meeting (sometimes only several seconds) of the Senate in which no business is conducted. It is held usually to satisfy the constitutional obligation that neither chamber can adjourn for more than three days without the consent of the other.
One would think they would actually do some real work-I need this job! Benefits are great and work very little.
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The Senate has been stalled on voting to extend 
New Extension: What's next?
