Yesterday it was the Senate; today the House passed legislation to extend jobless benefits at least 14 weeks nationwide.
The count was 403-12. The “nays” comprised mostly conservative Republicans who oppose the tiny employer surtax that will fund the benefit extension.
The bill will provide an additional 14 weeks of unemployment insurance in every state, with an extra six weeks going to folks in the 27 states where jobless rates have topped 8.5 percent.
“This means that they will be able to survive,” House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) said before the vote. “Not thrive, but survive.”
Obama says he will sign the law quickly.
Of course EUI will have to be extended again and again for at least another year or so, as long as companies are not hiring and there are too many people competing for too few jobs.
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