2010 Unemployment Extensions - Byrd Replacement Possible by Monday Again

2010 Unemployment Extensions - The State of West Virginia has taken millions of jobless Americans on a roller coaster this week. Banking on the final needed "yay" vote for cloture on a UI Extension bill coming from a replacement for the late Senator Roberty Byrd (D-W.Va.), all eyes have been on the governor's mansion, waiting for him to appoint that replacement.

Governor Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) would make the appointment for Byrd's temporary successor. It was expected then, that Manchin could have someone in place by the time the Senate returned from the Fourth of July recess on Monday, July 12. Then the Senate could vote on the unemployment extension bill, garnering the 60^th and final vote from Byrd's replacement and benefits could soon be restored to the nearly two million already doing without. (Read: "How Soon Can Benefits Be Restored?")

But it was unclear under West Virginia law whether they would be able to hold a special election in 2010 or whether they would have to wait until the regular election in 2012 to elect a permanent new Senator for the Byrd seat. This question, for a number of reasons, put the brakes on Manchin's appointment as he opted to wait until the law was clarified.

And as of yesterday, it was not believed they would have an answer until next week, pushing the appointment of the replacement out further and, therefore, delaying the vote on the desperately needed unemployment benefits extension bill. (Read: "Byrd Replacement Delayed")

Fortunately, West Virginia's Attorney General Darrell McGraw (D) reached a quicker determination. According to the Washington Independent: "Gov. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) can legally call a 2010 special election to replace the late Sen. Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.), state Attorney General Darrell McGraw (D) ruledtoday."

This means Governor Manchin can move forward immediately with his selection of a successor for Senator Byrd. He will have to first receive the permission of the West Virginia state legislature to do so, but hopefully, for the sake of the millions of unemployed praying for quick passage of the unemployment benefits extension bill as soon as the Senate reconvenes, the legislature will give him the go ahead and he will have been prepared to select an interim Senator who can be in place on Monday.

But if not, the Democrats still have the option of voting in favor of the unemployed and passing one of the unemployment extensions offered by the Republicans. (Read: "UI Extension Vote NOT Hinging on Byrd Replacement") We will have to wait until Monday to find out which way it goes. But then, we're getting used to ... waiting.

Source:

http://washingtonindependent.com/91107/2010-special-election-to-replace-byrd-moves-forward-unemployment-benefits-extension-may-result