Posted by
Defend America on Friday, March 26, 2010 11:49:24 AM
Unemployment benefits set to expire April 5
By Ben Pershing
Friday, March 26, 2010
Unemployment benefits are set to expire for at least a week on April 5,
as Congress plans to break for two weeks without agreeing on an
extension of the program.
Last week, the House approved a $9 billion measure containing
one-month extensions of unemployment insurance, COBRA health benefits
and federal flood insurance. Senate Democrats hoped to have their
chamber approve the same bill Thursday. But Republicans refused,
complaining that the bill is not offset with spending cuts elsewhere.
They said the same thing in early March, when Sen. Jim Bunning
(R-Ky.) brought the chamber to a halt for five days over another
extension that wasn't offset.
...
The Senate GOP's refusal to agree to the House's version of the bill
was led by Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.), who objected to bringing up the
bill. Coburn said that by adding to the federal deficit, we are
"stealing future opportunity from our children."
But Democrats -- emboldened by the public relations victory they
believe they won during Bunning's stand -- laid blame for the impasse
at the feet of Coburn and his fellow Republicans.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/25/AR2010032504424.html