Senate Dems Urge 10-Month Extension of Unemployment Benefits

[undeterred]

Mike Lillis 1/22/10 4:45 PM

With unemployment still hovering in double digits and no real relief in sight, a group of 30 Senate Democrats today is urging party leaders to extend emergency unemployment benefits through the end of 2010 — 10 months longer than current law dictates. In a letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.), the lawmakers argue that shorter extensions might be cheaper, but they leave state budgeters in a state of constant uncertainty.

Short term extensions, while still helpful to families, only add strain to state agencies that must constantly re-tool their computer systems, and at the same time, continue to assist the millions still searching for work. As our economy continues on a path to recovery, we need a robust extension of safety net programs that have provided a lifeline to families since the recession began.

Signing the letter were Democratic Sens. Tom Harkin (Iowa), Bob Casey (Pa.), Jack Reed (R.I.),
 Sherrod Brown (Ohio)
, Chris Dodd (Conn.),
 Jay Rockefeller (W.Va.),
 Jeanne Shaheen (N.H.),
 Al Franken (Minn.), Carl Levin (Mich.),
 Frank Lautenberg (N.J.), Debbie Stabenow (Mich.), 
Roland Burris (Ill.), Arlen Specter (Pa.),
 John Kerry (Mass.), Kirsten Gillibrand (N.Y.),
 Ron Wyden (Ore.), Edward Kaufman (Del.),
 Sheldon Whitehouse (R.I.), Barbara Boxer (Calif.),
 Patrick Leahy (Vt.),
 Robert Menendez (N.J.),
 Herb Kohl (Wis.),
 Tom Udall (N.M.), Ben Cardin (Md.),
 Robert Byrd (W.Va.),
 Daniel Akaka (Hawaii),
 Jeff Merkley (Ore.),
 Barbara Mikulski (Md.),
 Dianne Feinstein (Calif.) and Michael Bennet (Colo.), as well as Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders (Vt.).

Democratic leaders are working on legislation to tackle the continuing problems related to the economic downturn. The package is widely expected to include an extension of unemployment insurance, COBRA health benefits, food stamps and help for states faced with budget crises. They’d hoped to have health care reform out of the way first. Now, that’s looking unlikely.

http://washingtonindependent.com/74604/senate-dems-urge-10-month-extension-of-unemployment-benefits

:thumbsup:

[BunkerHill24]

1. Maybe this is something we can connect with the American public

... that we are on side of working men and woman in America.

[undeterred]

5. And maybe it can keep some of us from becoming homeless too.

[juajen]

2. This is good. NT

[burning rain]

3. Probably another "no can do" with Democrats only having 59 votes!

.

[tom_paine]

4. Sucks being inthe 41-59 minority, doesn't it?

[burning rain]

6. Democrats would need about 70 seats to function the way Republicans do with 51.

.

[getthefacts]

7. I can appreciate

and support senators asking for an extension in order to assist those who are currently unemployed, but a cynical part of me can't stop thinking that a 10-month extension would keep people happy until past the November election. It also seems self serving.