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Unemployment Extension Passes House, But the Bill is Now Stuck in Limbo
July 1, 2010 - by Donny Shaw
As expected, the House of Representatives this afternoon passed their stand-alone unemployment insurance extension bill (H.R. 5816). The vote wasn’t even close. 270 congressmen voted in favor of the bill, including 29 Republicans, and only 153 voted against it. The full roll call details can be viewed here.
Among those voting “no” were 11 Democrats — Brian Baird [D, WA-3], Robert Berry [D, AR-1], Bobby Bright [D, AL-2], Jim Cooper [D, TN-5], Baron Hill [D, IN-9], Betsy Markey [D, CO-4], James Marshall [D, GA-8], Mike McIntyre [D, NC-7], Walter Minnick [D, ID-1], Glenn Nye [D, VA-2] and Heath Shuler [D, NC-11].
The bill would extend the filing deadline for extended unemployment insurance benefits until Nov. 30, 2010. It does not contain the extra $25 per month from the Federal Additional Compensation program that was passed in the 2009 stimulus bill. It also would not create a fifth tier of benefits; 99 weeks would still be the maximum amount of time a person coud receive benefits payments. It would, however, pay benefits back retroactively to individuals who have seen their payment cut off since the deadline for filing for new tiers of benefits expired on June 1.
Despite the House’s vote today, the bill is not likely to be signed into law until mid July when the Senate returns from their recess. Both chambers must pass the bill before it can be sent to Obama to become law. When the Senate returns on July 12, the Democrats should have the 60 votes they will need to finally overcome a Republican filibuster of the extension because West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin (D) is expected to have appointed a replacement for Sen. Robert Byrd [D, WV] by then.
The Iowa Independent reported earlier in the day that another Senate vote was possible tonight under an emergency session called by Senate Majority Leader Sen. Harry Reid [D, NV], but that does not appear to be panning out. It looks like the Senate will, in fact, stay adjourned until July 12.
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Comments
Displaying 1-30 of 308 total comments.
They need to get their butts in there and do the right thing, this is crazy!
In their minds the right thing is to go on vacation! They think we can “eat cake” while Rome burns! For us our individual Romes are burning. We can’t pay the rent/mortgage, utilities, insurance or car payments (cars we need to get to interviews) or even buy groceries, so our individual Romes are burning but in their minds that all okay because they are on vacation!! We can eat cake while Rome burns!!! I hope they choke on the 4th of July cake!!!
Don’t get your hopes up. Even with a Byrd replacement they could still be short as I understand it. The government is run by lobbyists anyway and they want the Wall Street bill watered down, so holding us hostage until that happens is the way they are playing it. We live in a sick time—where the only agenda is to defeat a black president and any cost.
That sounds like a very valid point to me!
What a load of CRAP! I just want to make 1 thing CRYSTAL CLEAR, Nev. Senator Harry Reid is just as much to blame as the Republicans with the exception of the Republican Senators from Maine who crossed over and voted with the Dems this last go around. Harry Reid was told back in mid June to put up a standalone bill for just UI and it would pass. Members of his own party drafted standalone bills and he refused to bring them to the floor because he himself didn’t co-write them. (2 b cont.)
If he had done this we would all be breathing a sigh of relief right now. However, because of his Maniacal ego he refused to work with members of his own party to get this done. Instead he offers a watered down version of his bill which was already rejected 3 times before last night’s defeat. A® Senator from Ohio offered him his vote which would have been the passing vote if he would cover just 50% of the bill with left over stimulus money and harry Reid flat out refused! So if you want to cast blame on those truly responsible then include Harry Reid.
I completely agree with you. I have been watching C-Span and have yet to see 1 democratic senator explain why the “Stimulus” funds cannot be used. Especially just HALF as was offered. Please understand…I’m not happy with the republicans either. I’m sick and tired of hearing about their children and grandchildren (who will be rich by the way) being saddled with the debt they created. There are hungry children RIGHT NOW that need this unemployment extension passed. What about them???
Yeah, you are right this is a two party issue. Lobbyist money flows to both parties. Don’t let anyone kid you. I’ve known several lobbyists and you would not believe how they control everything. First they get the dirt on their “point,” then they meet and offer up an “exchange.” During the next “vacation” or any trip to another city but their own, the money flows with lavish “gifts” and free everything, etc. You name it. Even Gore got caught up in it. They are now trying to get him for the climate control acts—you think it was just an innocent meeting with a massage therapist? People, I’m telling you, it’s as bad as it can get out there. The Republicans are simply holding out for an “exchange.” You watch what happens after the “vacation” break.
Please quit with the racial card. There is nothing more sickening than that uneducated type of excuse.
I agree, the uneducated run this country and they are so polarized and racist they will use any excuse.
You can’t vote unless you have a valid address of residencey. The last thing homeless people are going to be worrying about is finding a polling place. The disgusting fact is that none of these politicians deserve to be in office. People are going to vote with the visual reality of homelessness. The rest of the country is not awake yet, most that have jobs are not concerned that this could happen to them, that it is really a fine line that seperates being lucky enough to have a job, food and shelter, and being tossed to the curb. We cannot wait until November, we need action NOW!
I know! When I was employed we worked to meet deadlines even if it meant working till the wee hours of the morning. I never hesitated in doing so because I have very strong work ethics. This is such an important issue —peoples livelihoods are at stake. Can’t they work one more day??? They already have a full week off! Most people don’t even have one day off!
You are so right.
I totally agree jenny when i was working all i got was the 4th itself off… oh wait the 4th is on a sunday so i wouldn’t get any holiday time off it would be leave friday come back monday am
I live in Texas and just contacted Hutchison; the phone number is 202-224-3353…..we need to call all of them and let them know…OUR VOTES DO COUNT! Also call all the democrates too and ask them why they are not willing to compromise on where the money is going to come from. WORK TOGETHER!!! ITS NOT JUST ONE PARTY’S FAULT….IT IS BOTH….their like oil and water….I know 3 year old children that work better together.
@ Nuspirits… I too left a strongly worded message to both Kay B Hutchinson and John Cornyn… they can think this is a game all they want. I voted for them into Senate. They just lost my vote and by the looks of it, a lot of Repubs have now changed their views of their own party. The rich get richer and the poor get poorer. That couldn’t be more true!!
Look at the website for the individual senators. Look at all the offices we are paying to maintain. They can work from home. Cut the budget right here.
I totally agree with you! Work from home, PAYCUT and decrease the perks and pension and they might start working for us instead of just them!
So they go on vacation while nearly 2 million people wonder how they are going to feed their families this weekend. The sad thing is we voted their asses in. The obviously have no feelings for human suffereing.
I totally agree with you. this is so stressful. how could they just leave things up in the air on go on their dam vacation. no good pigs.
I think you are totally rite. I thought about suicide, but changed my mind because if i did they would win in Nov. We can make the change in Nov. so stand up and vote their ass out.
there is strength and support in numbers, when you become homeless, walk to Washington with others just like you, pick up more and more as you go along, form parades, carry American flags and signs, help each other survive the trip, bring your children and your dogs, and your camping gear. Be VERY vocal and visual. Those lucky enough to be still employed will be forced to look at you as you pass them on their way to their job and it will make them think very hard “this could be me next week or next month”….
Everyone in every state that said no, needs to demand their house and congress people be removed from office. we the voters put them in there, what makes them think we would not want the unemployment renewed, the only people that should be losing it should be the ones trying to pull a fast one, Link the unemployment to the FAFSA and if you are going to college it will show up then you get unemployment for as long as you need and once you get your degree then the clock starts to get a job but, because of the slow hireing give those people unemployment as long as they can prove they are looking, (all the major job search engines have applied jobs links so you can see where you applied) then you get to keep claiming till you get a job, if you cant prove your going to school, or actually looking for a job then you don’t get money
This is balony we put those people in there and now we get to struggle while they go on vacations and live the good….. wait no the great life if they are so worried about the deficit then take cutbacks themselves. Also the banks and mortgage industries can’t handle 2 million people losing everything because of greedy politcians…. oh wait yes they can the government will just bail them out again
and oh one more thing i am going to college for computer networking admnistration, and i need certifications to get hired and each one is $125.00 i am training for the cisco CCENT, CCNA, the comp tia Net+, A+, and the Microsoft MCSE, how am i supposed to get these without money comming in…. plus i have utilities and mortgage pmts, and 3 kids and a wife (the wife works but makes no where near enough to support the family) she should only be working to have some extra cash not to support the family (call me old fashoned)
Try going for grants and stafford loans. I did and I got all my funding so far. You don’t have to pay grants back and you only pay back loans after yopu graduate and get your degree. I am in computer science. Call and talk to your school. As for your bills, I understand completely I am unemployed as well
Well it’s plain and simple as it goes… whoever is affected by this unemployment extension bill not passing, you have to shut up and stop complaining now ( I’m one of them too )and when ELECTION time comes in November this should be the first thing on your mind if you are going to vote for any of these assholes that are screwing millions of us! I don’t even care if they pass the bill soon… you have to remember this past month and a half what these assholes put us through come November, I know I sure will andd to remind myself I have all the news clippings I need. I hope I was coming off as insensitive I probably worded it wrong but GOOOD LUCK to all and come November hopefully you remember this and do the right thing.
This is nuts, I have worked 38 years paying taxes, in December of 2009, the company sold out. The new company brought in their own folks. I have been looking for work for over 6 months now with nothing out there (remember I’m in Michigan). Here is an Idea to finance the extension, Layoff all congress send them home. Take away the health care they get make them pay themselves. By the way being they for the most part are all upper class, no unemployment for them. See how they like it. I will remember who voted against this in November, I’m going to tell everyone who they are and that they should be voted out of office. It is appalling to me and should be to every American that votes the idea of money going to illegal aliens and all that they get from us (THE TAX PAYERS)
They should be ashamed and removed from acting (key word acting) as civil servants. By the way I always vote on the PTVLIW party. (People that vote like I would)
There should be NO!! Holiday vacations when this country is in a state of emergency. This country cant Waite till July 12 for the unemployment extension to be passed we already have over a million people that have lost there benefits and will be facing foreclosure on there homes and will be losing there vehicles because they have no income coming in to pay for there loans. We need to take care of our Owen people and the hell with the rest of the world.