Senate Finally Passes Unemployment Extension Bill
The Unemployed Who Lost Benefits Due to Political Haggling Will Now Have Those Benefits Restored
As seen on CSPAN-2 TV this afternoon around 2:30, the Senate voted to extend unemployment benefits for millions of jobless Americans. The bill now only needs approval from the House of Representatives, which should come later this week, before President Obama signs it into law and the unemployed begin to receive checks again.
Explaining what the Senate voted on
What the Senate was voting on was a extension of a federal program called Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC). The EUC provided an additional 53 weeks of unemployment extension in the form of 4 successive tiers. But because the EUC benefits program expired on June 2, 2010, millions of unemployed Americans did not have the chance to qualify for the next tier before the expiration and were cut off from their benefits. This new extension has moved the expiration date to the end of November. Benefits will be paid retroactively from June 2, 2010.
Why did the Senate allow the EUC expiration date to lapse before extending benefits?
Democrats originally put the unemployment extension provision in a bigger bill called The American Jobs and Closing Tax Loopholes Act (HR 4213.) HR 4213 called for raising corporate taxes to pay for government subsidy programs, like unemployment benefit extensions. Republicans, and some fiscally minded Democrats, argued that would add to an already massive national deficit, and instead proposed the unemployment benefits extensions be paid for with unused stimulus plan funds. HR 4213 failed 3 times to pass in the Senate.
Also complicating matters was the death of Senator Robert Byrd (D-W.Va) in late June, leaving Democrats one vote short of being able to pass the unemployment extension bill until his replacement was named. West Virginia Governor Jim Manchin did not name a replacement for Byrd until July 15th.
What happens in November when the EUC benefits expire again?
According to The Washington Independent, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs indicated in a recent press conference that President Obama might push for another unemployment extension in November, since the unemployment rate would not like improve by then. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the current unemployment rate in America is 9.5%.
What about long term unemployed who have exhausted all benefits?
Unfortunately, there is nothing in this current legislation to assist people who have exhausted their benefits. These jobless Americans, nicknamed 99er's for the amount of weeks of unemployment they have collected an exhausted, have petitioned lawmakers to create a Tier V level of benefits. There in no current plan to do so at this time, however some members of Congress have hinted that they may pursue a Tier V legislation in the future.
Sources:
Annie Lowrey White House: We'll Push for Another Unemployment Extension in November,The Washington Independent, July 20, 2010
CSPAN-2 TV July 20, 2010
Jennifer Budd Senate Won't Vote on Unemployment Benefits Extensions Until Robert Byrd Replacement Named, Associated Content July 12, 2010
Jennifer Budd Will There Be a Fifth Extension of Unemployment Benefits? Maybe, Associated Content May 4, 2010
Bureau of Labor Statistics News Release July 20, 2010
Published by J Budd, RN - Featured Contributor in Health & Wellness
I am a registered nurse and former radio broadcast journalist in the NYC/NJ area for over a decade. Some of the stations I have worked with include Bloomberg News Radio, Sirius Satellite Radio, Fox News Rad... View profile
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19 Comments
Post a Commentplease we need HELP .Icant even find fast food job .We need help!!
cont. as i was saying, i guess my point is that those of us who are suffering due to the hands of the government should be taken care of first! we are paying for their screw up!
it makes me sick to my stomach to know that our government doesnt really give a damn about their own citizens! because of their haggleing thousands perhaps millions of people with families are now homeless! they will let the imigrants come in and set them up with everything that they will nedd to live a comfortable lifestyle while we struggle to survive! it is not our fault that the economy is the way it is! its the governments! the federal courts just put a freeze on the immigration laws in arizona, boy it didnt take them long to step in and do that! and it all started because obama didnt like it! it is no longer we the people, it is us the government! where did our government go wrong as to think that immigration is more important than their own citizens!!!! our government stinks!dont get me wrong, i fell that if a immigrant wants to become a us citizen then they should go through the process required to become one! i guess my point is that those of us who are sufferind due tho the h
Sorry i wasn't finished they could have gave the small businesses the money to stay afloat,but that was the plain to brake the little businesses down so all the money could go to the big money makers so they can rule the world,by saying everyones broke.These owners of these pro teams still have millions mean billions to dish out after a losing season don't make sense.All I can do is pray and TRUST GOD we all have to,cause our day is coming.I'll be praying for everyone in need.GOD BLESS ALL
That's foul that they have forgot about the ones that still have not found jobs.There are not one job for every person and they know that.I have been without work for two years,with interview after interview and no call backs.I don't have the money to keep wasting on false hope and talk.The government spends 1 billion dollars a day over seas for oil with our money,but we can't get any help from our government.I don't think i'm votting anymore cause it really don't matter they are going to screw you anyway.I'm not going to be here much longer so i can deal with it and i say that because pretty soon i'll be dying of hunger,cause they are not giving everyone out of work unemployment and the President knows this.A buddy of mine just lost his home and now he's hiding out his car,where he lives in and this is a good man always looked out for people but now he needs help because of some high paid official not keeping track of what's going on.The government could have gave the small businesses
what happens to someone who has used all 3 tiers of extensions in june of 2010?
Glad at least some will get relief, this economy has been very bad for jobs for longer than this recent downturn.
Just to be certain. My original 26 weeks of state funded unemployment will run out the middle of August 2010...will I now be able to obtain federal funds with the new extension? Will the tiers be available to those of us close to the end of original benefits?
It is not clear if the Senate voted on extending the EB benefits, also known as FED-ED. 99 weeks are not possible without the 20 weeks from FED-ED. Did the Senate vote to extend filing deadlines for tiers I - IV AND ALSO FED-ED?
While I am so thankful that this finally passed, I will keep writing and campaigning for the 99ers. Keep pushing on!