+- Beat the Heat This Summer with the Handy Cooler -+
Relieves Pain, Reduces Dehydration & Keeps You Cool!
http://pd.gophercentral.com/u/1092/c/186/a/3289
------------------------------------------------------------
THE PROGRESSIVE REVIEW - July 22, 2010

Senate Democrats Break Filibuster to Extend Unemploy-
ment Benefits
by: Mike Ludwig
truthout|Report

Senate Democrats defeated a Republican filibuster Tuesday
and are expected to pass legislation that will grant a six-
month extension of unemployment benefits for an estimated
2.5 million Americans.

The 60-40 vote to break the filibuster and end debate on
the bill was expected after Sen. Carte Goodwin (D-West
Virginia) was sworn in to replace the late Sen. Robert
Byrd (D-West Virginia).

Republicans blocked the legislation three times in as many
weeks over concerns about deficit spending. The bill most
recently failed to pass the Senate by one vote on June 30.

The House is expected to quickly pass the bill, which will
then be sent to President Barack Obama for approval. Obama
blasted Republican lawmakers on Monday for stalling the
bill, appearing at a press conference with three unemployed
workers.

Obama and his allies in Congress claim the $33.9 billion in
emergency unemployment funding will stimulate the economy
and bring much needed relief to the Americans who have
been out of work the longest.

The benefits expired in June, and the new bill will retro-
actively fund benefits from June through November.

The Hill reported that two Maine Republicans, Sens. Olympia
Snowe and Susan Collins, joined Democrats in breaking the
filibuster, but conservatives continued to complain about
passing a bill without a plan to pay for it.

"The fact is, this debate isn't about unemployment
insurance," Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell
(R-Kentucky) said on the floor Tuesday morning. "There's
no debate in the Senate about whether we should pass a
bill. Everyone agrees that we should. This debate is about
whether in extending these benefits we should add to the
debt or not."

Meanwhile, a big emergency war supplemental to fund
operations in Iraq and Afghanistan and bolster border
security has enjoyed healthy support from Republicans
as Democrats in Congress squabbled with the White House
over domestic education funding riding on the bill.

Unemployed Americans have been out of work longer than
any other time in history. The share of families with
at least one unemployed member rose 4.2 percent to 9.4
million families last year, the highest number since
the Labor Department began tracking them in 1994.

------------------------------------------------------------
YOUR VIDEO SNACK BAR
Top Viewed Videos...

1. Amos N´ Andy - In the IRS Office
http://c.gophercentral.com/yIWg

2. Celebrities: Before and After Make-Up
http://c.gophercentral.com/9Awh

3. Somewhere Over The Rainbow
http://c.gophercentral.com/6QdE

4. Cool Hand Shadow Puppets
http://c.gophercentral.com/yVqE

5. Your´s Truly, BP reality check
http://c.gophercentral.com/s8lC

6. Women in Film
http://c.gophercentral.com/jjQ9


------------------------------------------------------------
Follow Your Favorite GopherCentral Publications on Twitter:
http://www.gophertweets.com/ More Coming Soon!
------------------------------------------------------------