Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, (D) of Nev., speaks as Senators Jeanne Shaheen, (D) of NH, Max Baucus, D-Mont., Christopher Dodd, (D) of Conn., Jack Reed, (D) of RI, listen at a news conference following the passage of the extension of unemployment benefits on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday.
(Harry Hamburg/AP)Photos (1 of 1)
Senate’s holiday gift to workers: extended unemployment benefits
The US Senate voted Wednesday to extend unemployment benefits for workers set to lose them by the end of the year. It wanted to be seen as helping working families heading into the holiday season.
By Gail Russell Chaddock | Staff writer/ November 4, 2009 edition
Washington
After nearly a month of gridlock, the Senate voted unanimously to extend unemployment benefits for some 1.3 million jobless Americans expected to lose benefits by the end of the year.
If, as expected, the House adopts the Senate version of the bill, it means workers in all states will be eligible for an additional 14 weeks of federal unemployment benefits. In states with unemployment rates higher than 8.5 percent, workers will be able to extend their federal unemployment benefits a further six weeks.
The House version of the bill, passed in September, provided an additional 13 weeks to workers in high-unemployment states.
With the unemployment rate at 9.8 percent – and October’s unemployment numbers due out Friday – lawmakers wanted to go on the record with a vote that would help families pay their bills, especially heading into holiday season.
The package also extends an $8,000 first-time home-buyer tax credit, which was due to expire at the end of November, and creates a new $6,500 tax credit for some current homeowners who buy a new home by April 30, 2010.
“Extending unemployment insurance benefits will help Connecticut families make ends meet in a tough economy. And thousands more middle class Connecticut residents may now be eligible to take advantage of the successful home-buyer’s tax credit,” said Sen. Christopher Dodd (D) of Connecticut, a co-sponsor of the home-buyer tax credit, who faces a tough reelection campaign in 2010.
At the urging of Senate Republicans, the package also includes tax provisions that allow firms to offset current losses against profits going back as many as five years – to times before the housing market crashed.
Congress has temporarily extended unemployment benefits six times since 2002. Most recently, the economic stimulus plan enacted Feb. 17 gave unemployed workers an additional 20 weeks of benefits, on top of the standard 26 weeks of state compensation.
“There are about 15 million people in our country unemployed who are looking for about 3 million jobs. That is about 1 out of 5. That is unconscionable in a country such as ours,” said Sen. Max Baucus (D) of Montana, in a floor speech before a key procedural vote breaking deadlock on the bill on Monday.
Since the last temporary extension of benefits in February, some 600,000 Americans have exhausted jobless benefits, according to the National Employment Law Project.
Despite strong bipartisan support for extending unemployment benefits, Republicans held up a vote on the bill in the interests of adding housing and business tax breaks, which they succeeded in getting into the bill.
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Comments
2. David | 11.04.09
Everyone should realize that this bill is just a temporary fix as it does not address the many UI recipients whose benefits will be exhausting in early 2010. All extensions expire in 2009. That is, no new extension can begin in 2010 once your current benefits exhaust. Things aren’t getting better on the jobs available scene so we will be right back at this in less than two months. This issue should have been addressed with this bill. The problem is not going away any time soon.
3. Big Al | 11.05.09
Thanks for making that point, David. It applies to my situation and that of many, many others, while we watch the politicians play games and jockey for position. In my case, for example, I’ll reach the 39-week plateau of total benefits in the third week of January, and unless my luck improves and I’m able to find something–I’ve been trying diligently, but it doesn’t seem promising out there–at that point I’m looking at desperation. I’ll be far from alone. The problem is certainly not going to go away soon, and it would be nice if in addition to bailing out the Lords of High Finance who brought us this debacle there were some genuine concern for attempting to stabilize the situation at the ground level until the economy can begin to generate jobs once again. Frankly, though, given the games we’ve seen so far, I don’t think they care in the least, they just want to compete for power with one another.
4. jill | 11.05.09
I, like jim, have exhausted my unemployment benefits also. I sure hope I and others will get the 14 + 6 here in Florida due to our very high unemployment rate. I believe I read it will not be retroactive like the last extension was. Hopefully those of us who have exhausted ours will still get another.
5. Wayne | 11.05.09
I’m a 59 year old honorably discharged USAF veteran and I lost my job working in land development after two corporate takeovers. That was back in February, 2008 and my benefits expired last April. I’m a resident of Florida, and wondered if this bill will affect me?
6. kish | 11.05.09
i was laos wondering how this will effect me. I am on my last tier of benefits and i think i only have maybe 3 more weeks left until my year ends and the benefits will end. i will i be elgigble for this new benefit plan that they are offering
7. jack bevans | 11.05.09
am I understanding the recipients correctly? that is if this extension is not implemented by 12/31/2009 i will not be abl;e to be a par-taker of the additional 20 wweks as my claims money benefit has depleted. althouh i still have an valid existing claim.
8. Paul | 11.05.09
Hope this will answer your questions regarding your eligibility for this extension. This is from the National Employment Law Project:
If you have exhausted your full range of federally funded benefits before the passage of this bill, you WILL be eligible for these additional weeks… However, in another important aspect, the bill is NOT retroactive. You will not receive a lump sum payment dating back to the time when you exhausted benefits. The benefits will only be paid going forward.
10. Deb M | 11.12.09
I received a letter end of October saying that if I did not have a job yet by the date the new extended benefits start, which is week ending Nov. 14th then I can call in on Sunday Nov. 15th and answer the regular questions. In other words, there is no retro-active monies. I exhausted my EB on 10/12/2009. It has been a month since I have received a check.
11. Angie | 11.14.09
I am a single mom with three children and going through a divorce. My benefits exhausted as well and I have a degree and can’t even get a job in a fast food rest. I am scared to death and don’t want to live off the system but I don’t have any choice right now. I am praying that this happens soon and I can find a job even sooner.
12. Yvonne | 11.16.09
I am only on my 2nd tier of unemployment and it will end the 2nd week of January because they haven’t changed that cut off date I am not eligible for any more which I think is horrible!! I appreciate what has done for me so far but in reality Illinois can get up to 99 weeks of unemployment and I can’t get past 46. I certainly think that more people have lost there jobs this year then last year and we will all be out of luck they need to change that cut off date to 12/27/2010 because it will not get better until at least then. This country will not make it and alot of people will lose alot of things and I really hope they do the right thing thanks for listening!!!!
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1. jim | 11.04.09
I was wondering I had recieved “emergency benefits” Tier 2, am i going to be included or not?