Extension of Jobless Benefits Clears Key Senate Hurdle on 60-40 Vote

[cal04]

Source: Associated Press

A bill to restore unemployment benefits to millions who have been out of work for more than six months has cleared a Senate hurdle.

The 60-40 vote came moments after Carte Goodwin, a successor to West Virginia Democrat Robert Byrd, was sworn in. Goodwin was the crucial 60th senator to defeat a Republican filibuster that has led to a lapse in benefits for 2.5 million people.

A battle has raged for months over whether jobless benefits should be financed with additional federal debt as Democrats want or through cuts to other government programs as most Republicans insist.

After a final Senate vote, the House will take up the bill Wednesday. President Barack Obama is likely to sign it into law by week's end.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_unemployment_benefits

[Dulcinea]

1. Excellent news!

How soon will it get to President Obama's desk?

[CrownPrinceBandar]

2. Why does this have to go back to the House?............

Did the Senate make changes that the House has to approve of?

[CrownPrinceBandar]

7. Never mind, I found that the Senate made changes....

shoulda researched before I posted.

[New Earth]

9. can you give a brief breakdown of what they changed?

anything about the FAC payments?

[CrownPrinceBandar]

13. I can't give you a breakdown.............

Anecdotally, I found that this bill does not extend the $25 FAC payments to those seeking part-time work. But, I would want to confirm before you quote me on that.

[gateley]

3. Call or e-mail Snowe and Collins to thank them for their votes. It can't be easy

voting against Party Lines (nobody else apparently has the balls to do it) so they could probably use some kind words right about now.

[Chipper Chat]

5. The Tea Party is steaming (no pun intended).

How long before the Maine Gals are Inglised or Bennetted?

[bluestateguy]

10. Collins is up in '14, Snowe in '12.

If the Tea Party movement even exists at that time, that is.

[pattmarty]

6. Thank them for exactly what? They did what any honest, sympathetic..............

.......person SHOULD have done. That's what they get paid for and why the people of Maine elected them to do. Fire that Nebraska cornholer Nelson, goddamn ass hole. This whole unemployment fiasco is simply disgusting in this country at this time, I'm fucking mad.

[gateley]

8. Thank them for being honest, sympathetic people, and acting on it. I agree with

all you say, but I do appreciate their voting their hearts and conscience in the face of pressure from their Party. Washington seems to corrupt a lot of good people - at least in this instance, they stood for what they knew was right. You don't have to acknowledge that, but I for one think it's the right thing to do.

[valerief]

11. Yeah, it's a lot easier for them to vote against Americans. nt

[No Elephants]

14. What's the connection between testicles and the votes of Snowe and Collins again?

[New Earth]

4. does anyone know when the extra $25 FAC will end?

:(

[TK421]

24. You will continue to receive the extra $25 a week if you are still on your

current extension. My Tier 2 ends first week of August..the week after that, the extra $25 ends

This is what the UC office told me

edited to add: when I start Tier 3 in August, I won't get the additional $25

[Vidar]

12. Bravo Carte Goodwin, & drop dead, Ben Nelson!

[704wipes]

22. Ben Nelson is as useless as tits on a boar

It's shit like him why I won't give any $$ to DNC, 21st Century, DLC. If I want to give money to a Dem I will send it directly to THEM not an org that will give a little graft to Nelson even though he never votes with us.

[elleng]

15. Unemployment benefits extension clears hurdle.

Source: ap/wp

Legislation to restore unemployment benefits to millions who have been out of work for more than six months broke free of Senate Republican delaying tactics on Tuesday.

Senators voted 60-40, clearing the way for passage of the bill later on Tuesday. The measure would restore jobless checks for 2.5 million people whose benefits started running out seven weeks ago in a stubbornly jobless economic recovery.



Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/07/20/AR2010072000556.html?hpid=topnews

[valerief]

16. Those 40 senators really hate Americans, huh? nt

[elleng]

17. They love themselves more, thats for sure.

[SCRUBDASHRUB]

18. Seriously.

[Roland99]

19. +1

[deacon]

20. And a sign of how important the mid term elections are. n/t

[No Elephants]

21. And the 99ers?

[BreweryYardRat]

23. Finally.

This had to get done.