Senate Democrats reach deal on extending benefits

[tonysam]

Source: Associated Press

Senate Democrats have reached a deal to extend unemployment insurance benefits to workers in every state who are in danger of seeing their benefits run dry in the coming weeks.

The agreement would give an additional 14 weeks of benefits to jobless workers in all 50 states. Workers in states with an unemployment rate at 8.5 percent or above would receive six weeks on top of that.

Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hLKyB9H7lUpiALFVlU7RRJa9-EfwD9B74AFG1

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It's about time. Hopefully the legislation passes there. Now the House needs to get to work.

[Ruby the Liberal]

1. I just took a HUGE sigh of relief.

[tonysam]

2. Me, too

It's SO bad out here.

[Ruby the Liberal]

3. No kidding. Nothing!

[Love Bug]

11. Me, too.

My benefits run out in mid-January. This will hopefully give me a little more breathing room in the hope companies start hiring again after the new year.

[Omnibus]

14. Mine expires in mid-Jan. too.

Hopefully this will be the last extension I need. (Cross your fingers!)

[tonysam]

4. Kick n/t

[uberblonde]

5. Thank you Jesus!

Because there aren't any jobs.

[Paper Roses]

6. This is good news. I hope to find something soon but am not

very confident that I will. Been in the workforce since 1962. Every day I check on line and nothing,nada,zilch.

Networking is out. Friends are now retired. I must keep going because there is no other way for me to keep my house and myself above water.

Never thought I'd see the day. Good luck to all.

[rantormusing]

7. If i was to look up a definition of bread crumbs in the dictionary,

I'd find this.

[notadmblnd]

8. My sister just got her last weeks check

she'll be happy to hear this.

[tonysam]

9. More news about the proposal

is in this article:

Shaheen objected and then proposed extending benefits by 13 weeks to the 23 states with rates below 8.5 percent and by 17 weeks in states with rates of 8.5 percent or higher.

Her objection led to discussions that included Shaheen, Reid, Baucus and Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., and to the compromise announced today.

Murray said Shaheen's original plan would have cost an additional $4 billion. She was unsure today of the cost of the compromise plan but said it would be lower.

Murray said Reid was scheduled to introduce the compromise amendment on the Senate floor this evening.


link

[tonysam]

10. Still more details

States offer 26 weeks of benefits, with the average payment about $300 a week. With federal help, including several measures in the economic stimulus package passed last February, the unemployed in states hardest hit by the recession can receive up to 79 weeks of assistance.

The proposal also contains a provision allowing families receiving food stamps to remain eligible while receiving an additional $25 per week in unemployment insurance benefits approved in the stimulus act.

The negotiators said the additional benefits would be paid for by extending through June 2011 the federal unemployment tax, which costs employers about $14 an employee per year.

link

[undeterred]

12. That is freaking AMAZING!

[undeterred]

13. That is fucking AWESOME!