#employment #hr4213 #paygo The unemployment extension bill failed to muster even a majority in a test vote in the Senate today. The measure was defeated 45-52 as moderate Democrats joined every Republican in voting against the current version of the bill.
Support for the unemployment extensions appears to be losing ground as a eleven Democrats and one Independent voted against the measure.
Democratic Senators will now turn to cutting the costs in the catchall package in an attempt to garner support for a revised bill. They will then introduce a new, scaled-back version of the proposed legislation.
The new version will likely include a cut to the weekly paycheck of those receiving unemployment. A proposal to reduce unemployment payments by $25 per week surfaced yesterday. In an effort to assure passage of the bill, Senator Jon Tester (D -- Montana) introduced the idea. The $25 payments were approved in February of 2009.
Just yesterday, The New York Times weighed in on the unemployment extension, stating in an editorial : "The right thing to do is obvious. The House and Senate should immediately extend unemployment benefits."
Source: Examiner
Both parties want the unemployment extensions but both parties have been stubbornly holding the line on how to pay for them. The GOP want the Paygo law obeyed and have the extensions paid for with unused stimulus funds. The democrats want the cost of the extensions added to the national debt.
And yes, Bush and the GOP had their own spending problems. That is one reason the GOP lost control of the Congress.
In past extensions, enough GOP wimped out and agreed to break the Paygo law. This time, Blue Dog democrats are concerned the national debt will be an election issue so some are agreeing with the GOP that the Paygo law should be obeyed.
Since the Senate has amended the bill, it will go back to the House for another vote after one side wimps out enough to get HR 4213 passed in the Senate.
It seems both sides are playing politics with HR4213 amendments. The democrats seem to be proposing a BP oil spill tax but use it to pay for items in HR4213. The GOP seem to be proposing a freeze to all federal salaries except the military, capping the number of federal employees and imposing a 5% across-the-board cut in government spending for all agencies except the VA and the DOD.
HR4213 is a big bill that started in Dec. 2009. The House has passed HR4213 twice. They will have to pass it a third time after the Senate approves it for the second time. The GOP has tried to get a standalone bill passed to get the unemployment extensions extended another month.
Note (4:45pm 6/17): Moved to refer the House Message to Accompany H.R. 4213 to the Committee on Finance, with instructions.
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The only thing that should be in this bill is
ReplyDeleteunemployment and cobra extensions for all in need and thats all- no pork, nothing but the extensions- this is an emergency situation that is more important than any other bill out there- an executive order by obama needs to be on the table now!!- quit screwing around with our lives washington- come november any and all of you who hold this up or vote it down will find yourself unemployed as well- all of us unemployed will make sure of this when we get to vote you out- only then will you feel the loss of income and finding out there are no jobs for you out there either- they went overseas ,remember? cheaper labor– and lets not forget all who are here by lack of border control and the jobs eaten up there- what a mess our government has created- and the said thing about all of this is no one has a solution to all the unemployment problems we are facing now and down the road- dont be fooled by the job creation myths you are hearing about-most are government jobs- not in your downsized field- there is no plan-its all temporary fixes- we need to keep the economy moving by not leaving us high and dry- by not extending these benifits there will be more problems created than you can imagine. so if any of you that have anything to do with this bill or know someone that does- get them to pass extensions now-call,fax,write congress and demand action- piss in a cup, may God help us all!!!
Reid said yesterday that they couldn't use the
ReplyDeletestimulus money for a month extension on benefits
because it has already created 3 million jobs
and the rest of the money was already promised!
To who - big banks and auto loans?
Where are the jobs - nowhere. Then some senator
wants drug testing to get benifits - no problem
with me but where is that money coming from?
Let's start with testing the people on the hill
first!!! They are outa touch with reality!!!!
You're failing to mention that Senate Minority Leader objected to a standalone measure for extending unemployment benefits! Perhaps your slanted views have a blind spot!
ReplyDeleteIs it possible that Unemployed people will go 3 weeks with no income...what should they do???
ReplyDeleteI only received 6 months of unemployment after
ReplyDeleteworking for 11 years at the same company. It seems
to me you should get a year of first time benefits. Is it fair that some folks have had
unemployment for years but I only got 6 months?
Why not take the 10 billion that Obama has provided to Brazil to drill for oil and use it
here for tax breaks for small business. Then some of us folks could go back to work. I think
this truly is the WORST President and administration in American history.
I can't believe that this is happening and after these elected officials beg so much for our votes they have the nerve to abandon us in that manner.Three weeks without benefits is just ridiculous. So, what are we all supposed to tell our landlords and the utility companies? Obama is sending money to all these other third world countries and has totally forgotten about Americans who pay taxes and the ones that he so much begged to vote for him...All for this? I truly do hate politicians? They will say anything to get a vote and then they abandon us....In Puerto Rico people who are unemployed are allowed to collect benefits until they find employment...There is no such thing as just 26 weeks of benefits. Only in America you see limits to everything.....Perhaps a Revolution is in order...
ReplyDeleteAfter beign a corporate executive, tax-payer, honest citizen and voting for Obama this is how I get repaid? So the greedy CEOs decide to cut the budget by laying off loyal workers to make the share-holders happy! Most of us are now literally thrown to the wolves with no health insurance since Cobra will no longer be picked up after the 6 months when State funding runs out, not to mention mortage, car and utility payments. I will be thinking of all of you in Washington come the November elections. It will be PAY BACK TIME!
ReplyDeleteWhat we need is to take it to the streets like in the 60's. That made some real changes in the US. If all the unemployed were to demonstrate on the 4th of July and make sure that congress see's the millions of voters in the streets who can make or break careers in Congress. Every city should have its unemployment protest. every unemployed person should email, tweeter , write every congress person on the 4th of July tie up thier email, tie up thier phones, protest in front of thier homes while they barbecue, maybe then they will understand that men and women without jobs are a dangerous bunch on voting day
ReplyDeleteI agree totally about a demonstration on July 4th. I really think there are more unemployed people then what the state admits too. I know in the next election I will remember all the men and women in congress!!!!
ReplyDeleteHere is a website you can go to and find out the congress representatives for you area unemployedworker.org.
It's ludicris what's happening to the American worker....repeal NAFTA-bring our jobs back-and in the meantime...pass this unemployment extension!!!!
ReplyDeleteScrew u all i need my money 2 live.worked 2 many years 4 some asshole in washington 2 tell me that i cannt even get a extention.They have there jobs maybe its time that we start 2 get rid of them. Join the unemployment line asshole.
ReplyDeleteNot only that think about the ppl that will do ANYTHING to support their familys..some ppl wont do a peaceful demonstration...things could get ugly when ppl get desperate!
ReplyDeleteThe assholes in the white house don't have to worry they will get their pension nomatter what but they say to hell with the ones that are paying them.
ReplyDelete