McClatchy DC Logo

Congress will pass jobless benefits extension, GOP senator says | McClatchy Washington Bureau

×
    • Customer Service
    • Mobile & Apps
    • Contact Us
    • Newsletters
    • Subscriber Services

    • All White House
    • Russia
    • All Congress
    • Budget
    • All Justice
    • Supreme Court
    • DOJ
    • Criminal Justice
    • All Elections
    • Campaigns
    • Midterms
    • The Influencer Series
    • All Policy
    • National Security
    • Guantanamo
    • Environment
    • Climate
    • Energy
    • Water Rights
    • Guns
    • Poverty
    • Health Care
    • Immigration
    • Trade
    • Civil Rights
    • Agriculture
    • Technology
    • Cybersecurity
    • All Nation & World
    • National
    • Regional
    • The East
    • The West
    • The Midwest
    • The South
    • World
    • Diplomacy
    • Latin America
    • Investigations
  • Podcasts
    • All Opinion
    • Political Cartoons

  • Our Newsrooms

Politics & Government

Congress will pass jobless benefits extension, GOP senator says

David Lightman - McClatchy Newspapers

    ORDER REPRINT →

February 28, 2010 02:46 PM

WASHINGTON — Congress will pass legislation aimed at keeping certain jobless benefits, highway and transit money and other government programs funded, Sen. Jon Kyl, the Senate's No. 2 Republican, said Sunday.

But the approval is highly unlikely to come before Monday morning. Several programs expire at midnight, and Congress has failed to extend them because of an objection by Sen. Jim Bunning, R-Ky. Bunning wants the $10 billion price offset by budget reductions.

The Senate is not expected to act until Tuesday at the earliest, which means that as of Monday morning, certain extended jobless benefits will not be available. Neither will some highway or transit funds, small business loans or help for newly-laid off workers for their insurance premiums.

Kyl, though, told "Fox News Sunday," flatly, "it will pass."

SIGN UP

The Arizona senator also sympathized with Bunning. Recently, Congress adopted "pay as you go" rules mandating that in many cases, new programs must be paid for. So why, Bunning asked, if these extensions are so popular, can't Congress find the money to fund them?

"Congress just passed the so-called pay-go legislation, which is supposed to require that we find offsets or other savings if we're going to spend money," Kyl said. "And what's the first thing we do? We exempt this bill from it."

But he said it will pass, since it only extends the programs about a month. The Senate plans to begin work this week on a longer-term extension, which is expected to be controversial, or as Kyl put it, "a different issue."

Democrats continued to express anger.

"Because of one senator's irresponsible actions, over 61,000 Michigan workers will begin losing their unemployment benefits on Monday," said Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich. "These workers and their families cannot afford to wait for help."

Most people already getting extra jobless benefits are unlikely to be affected. Those who will feel the impact could include people who've exhausted their 26 weeks of state benefits and qualify for more aid under federal guidelines.

Anyone laid off after March 1 no longer would be able to get federal help to pay health insurance premiums; the program now pays 65 percent of the cost for certain workers.

MORE FROM MCCLATCHY

GOP Sen. Bunning blocks unemployment benefits extension

Kentucky lawmakers blast budget's proposed coal subsidy cuts

GOP candidates for Bunning's seat launch TV ad brawl

McConnell didn't wait for summit to denounce health plan

Follow the latest politics news at McClatchy's Planet Washington

  Comments  

Videos

Some Republicans were against executive power on immigration. Now they aren’t.

Trump announces national emergency to get border wall funding

View More Video

Trending Stories

Trump slams California’s ‘fast train’ as Gavin Newsom leads 16 states suing over border wall

February 19, 2019 10:46 AM

Stacey Abrams appearance at voting rights hearing has political overtones, GOP says

February 19, 2019 10:20 AM

Texas GOP searches for candidate to take on Colin Allred

February 19, 2019 05:00 AM

‘It is time to complete that revolution’: Sanders says he’s running for president

February 19, 2019 07:00 AM

Operative at center of NC election fraud hearing won’t testify

February 18, 2019 02:16 PM

Read Next

Trump slams California’s ‘fast train’ as Gavin Newsom leads 16 states suing over border wall
Video media Created with Sketch.

White House

Trump slams California’s ‘fast train’ as Gavin Newsom leads 16 states suing over border wall

By Kate Irby

    ORDER REPRINT →

February 19, 2019 10:46 AM

President Donald Trump criticized California and 15 states that filed a lawsuit on Feb. 19 challenging his declaration of national emergency on the Mexico border. He compared his border wall to high speed rail.

KEEP READING

MORE POLITICS & GOVERNMENT

VP Mike Pence plans visit to South Carolina to tour Opportunity Zones with Tim Scott

Congress

VP Mike Pence plans visit to South Carolina to tour Opportunity Zones with Tim Scott

February 19, 2019 05:22 PM

The West

Why Trump’s tweets could be used against him in California’s border emergency lawsuit

February 19, 2019 05:15 PM

Congress

Stacey Abrams appearance at voting rights hearing has political overtones, GOP says

February 19, 2019 10:20 AM
‘It is time to complete that revolution’: Sanders says he’s running for president

Campaigns

‘It is time to complete that revolution’: Sanders says he’s running for president

February 19, 2019 07:00 AM
Texas GOP searches for candidate to take on Colin Allred

Elections

Texas GOP searches for candidate to take on Colin Allred

February 19, 2019 05:00 AM
Operative at center of NC election fraud hearing won’t testify

Elections

Operative at center of NC election fraud hearing won’t testify

February 18, 2019 02:16 PM
Take Us With You

Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand.

Icon for mobile apps

McClatchy Washington Bureau App

View Newsletters

Subscriptions
  • Newsletters
Learn More
  • Customer Service
  • Securely Share News Tips
  • Contact Us
Advertising
  • Advertise With Us
Copyright
Privacy Policy
Terms of Service


Back to Story