USA 1.3 MILLION LOSING UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS AND GOVT TO RESTORE BETWEEN 14 WEEKS AND 47 WEEKS OF BENEFITS TO THEM WHEN THE PROGRAM EXPIRED ON 28TH DECEMBER 2013 5TH JANUARY 2014 Democratic supporters of the three-month extension of jobless benefits said they were close to the 60 votes needed to advance the White House-backed bill. Their chances hinged on securing backing from at least four Republicans in addition to Sen. Dean Heller of high-unemployment Nevada, a co-sponsor. The bill would restore between 14 weeks and 47 weeks of benefits to an estimated 1.3 million long-term jobless affected when the program expired on Dec. 28. Payments, which average about $256 weekly, will be cut off to thousands more in the coming weeks as their initial 28 weeks worth of unemployment benefits expire. The bill is the first on the Senates agenda for the year and part of a heaping portion of leftovers from 2013. House and Senate lawmakers are negotiating privately over legislation to keep the government operating normally when current funding expires Jan. 15. Agreement is expected quickly, since the two sides and the White House reached agreement on an overall spending cap before adjourning for the holidays. A separate set of talks is on legislation to replace expired farm and feeding programs. And just ahead is a requirement to raise the nations debt limit.These are people who want to work, but they need some help, Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., said of the men and women who have been out of work longer than 26 or 28 weeks. Many, he said, are middle-class, middle-aged people who never thought they would wind up in the situation in which they find themselves. Reid said that as the unemployed spend the funds they receive, the overall economy grows by $1.50 for every $1 in benefits. In his remarks, Heller said he would have preferred to have paid for the benefits in a manner that does not burden our nation with more debt. At the same time, he said, for these benefits to simply vanish without giving families the time to plan....is just not right. Republicans appeared split into three camps: Heller and an unknown number of others; a group that is willing to renew the benefits, but insists that the $6.4 billion cost be paid for; and a third group opposed under any circumstances.
Posted on: Thu, 16 Jan 2014 04:46:31 +0000
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