Senate blocks jobless aid [View all]

[Keefer]

Source: Politico

The Senate blocked two separate proposals to revive emergency unemployment benefits that expired in December, all but killing the prospects of reviving jobless aid for now.

The chamber voted 52-48 to reject a bill that would have extended benefits through November and pay for it by extending the sequester’s mandatory spending cuts into 2024. A different measure to extend the aid for three months — without a pay-for — was defeated 55-45.

The votes capped a tumultuous week of positioning on the bill, which fits into the Democrats’ election year focus on income inequality. There was initial progress last week when six Republicans joined with Democrats to open debate on the issue. But that goodwill quickly devolved into partisan sparring over the length of the benefits and whether to pay for their continuation.

Until just before Tuesday’s roll calls, it was unclear if the vote would even go forward. Several previously scheduled votes were canceled, some due to weather problems last week and others because of familiar partisan divides.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2014/01/unemployment-benefits-update-102165.html?hp=t1

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Here we go.