Senate Clears the Way for Vote on Aid for Jobless Workers

After weeks of obstruction by Republican Senate leaders, millions of jobless workers who have or who will soon run out of unemployment insurance (UI) benefits may finally have a chance to grab an economic lifeline in the form of extended UI benefits.

The U.S. Senate yesterday approved a procedural motion that clears the way to a vote on legislation (H.R. 3548) that would provide an additional 14 weeks of benefits to unemployed workers in all states and up to 20 weeks in states with especially ...

high jobless rates.

The Senate could vote as early as tomorrow, but a Thursday vote is more likely. Call your senators today and urge them to take swift action and pass H.R. 3548. You can call the Capitol switchboard (202-224-3121) and ask to be connected to your senators or click here to find your senators’ office numbers.

Since the U.S. House passed its version of the bill Sept. 23, some 7,000 unemployed workers a day have run out of benefits. The long-term jobless rate is at its highest level since 1981 and more than a million jobless workers will run out of benefits by year’s end without action.

Last week, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said when he attempted to bring the UI bill to the floor shortly after it passed the House,

Republicans decided they would rather fight a partisan fight than help unemployed men and women in their own states. They decided to make a political statement by demanding completely irrelevant amendments, amendments that have absolutely nothing to do with unemployment specifically or even the economy generally. And they decided that that political statement was more important than helping their constituents afford to pay their bills. That’s wrong, and it’s an outrage.

I am deeply disappointed in the way Republicans have shown a complete lack of regard for the people behind those staggering numbers.

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While workers anxiously wait for an average unemployment check of $292 a week, the same Republican lawmakers who have slowed the bill, are in no hurry to rein in bailed banks that are using billions of taxpayers’ dollars to give to their CEOs and other executives bonuses or to fight financial industry reforms. They have strongly criticized Obama administration efforts to stop the tax-dollar-funded excessive bonuses and other banking reforms.

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