On April 15, the Senate passed the next in a line of stopgap bills designed to extend unemployment benefits to some of the millions of Americans still out of work. The 59-38 vote allowed the bill, which would also keep Medicare reimbursements to doctors at the same rate, to go back to the House for final approval. The House is expected to pass the bill and send it to President Obama for signature.
The AP reports that like the actions of Sen. Jim Bunning R-Kty., in February, who held up that benefits extension bill with concerns about deficit spending, this time the bill was nearly derailed by Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., who is also concerned with the deficit. However, this time four Republicans joined Democrats to defeat a filibuster, Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe of Maine, Scott Brown of Massachusetts and George Voinovich of Ohio.
Despite concerns over the debt, Democrats argue the jobless benefits are important not only to help people unable to find work, but they are one of the most effective ways to help jump-start the still sluggish economy.
The passage of the bill will be a relief to the hundreds of thousands of people who have been ineligible to reapply for benefits after exhausting their state paid benefits. Under the bill, they will be able to receive those checks retroactively.
Related Resources:
- Senate Restores Jobless Benefits (AP, New York Times)
- Senate Takes a Break, So Do Jobless Benefits (FindLaw’s Law and Daily Life)
- Bunning Beaten: Job Benefits Extension Bill Passes (FindLaw’s Law and Daily Life)
- How does a worker apply for Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefits? (FindLaw)
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