Senate Fails to Extend Jobless Aid Benefits
The U.S. Senate failed to pass legislation on Tuesday aimed at extending unemployment insurance benefits for over a million jobless workers. The bill proposed by Democrats in the Senate would extend payments to unemployed workers seeking a job until November 2014.
The impasse came from Republicans who typically do not support unemployment benefits and only wanted the extension to cover the next 3 months.
Senator Harry Reid blocked the bill from coming to the floor for a vote because of 8 Republican amendments attached to it. Senator Reid offered to allow votes on 5 of the amendments along with the Democrat extension of benefits but it was rejected by Republican leaders.
Analysts say that not passing the legislation will force some unemployed Americans to take any job even if it does not match the income levels in the employment they had in past.
Senator Susan Collins, R-Maine, expressed hope that the Democrats will come to terms and accept the Republican version of the legislation that only extends the benefits for an additional 3 months.
Unemployment benefits at the Federal level were established after the financial crisis. The intent was for them to pick up after state benefits ended for a jobless worker.
However, the current benefit program expired on December 28, 2013 leaving many without the income they need while finding a job.
Currently, most states authorize 26 weeks of unemployment benefits and combined with the Federal benefits a person seeking work could draw them for a full year.
Analysts point out that without an extension in these benefits, the labor force might shrink thus causing a drop in the unemployment rate. This is because those receiving benefits must actively look for work as a condition.
Without the benefits, many might just give up and stop looking for work altogether which would remove them from unemployment statistics reporting.
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