On a vote of 98-0 late Wednesday, the Senate passed the bill extending unemployment benefits for the 7,000 out of work Americans whose benefits expire every week, giving everyone an aditional 14 weeks of unemployment benefits, and six weeks more than that to folks in the 27 states where unemployment is more than 8.5%. The House could vote on the measure today, and send it to the Oval Office for signature.
The bill also includes extension through next April of the $8,000 first time home buyer tax credit, expansion of a smaller $6,500 credit for families who have owned the same home for five years and purchase a new home before April 30, and extension of the business tax loss carry back time period from two years to five years for 2008 or 2009 tax years.
The total unemployment benefits now available to out of work citizens is as much as 99 weeks, a record benefit extension for the 15 million who are out of work. The $2.4 billion expected cost of the legisiation will be covered by an extension of federal unemployment payroll taxes.
Comments
Thank you God working through Congress so much for the extension.
YO the extension was passed now to the house and Obama will sign this at earilest today latest Sunday
yo you dont need a job u need a teacher to show u how to understand what u r reading ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha
They claim unemployment is slowing. Will be interesting to see the surge of claims once Obama signs that bill. Only then will we see a true measure of how big the UE really is. I say it is closer to 12-14% if not more. Layoffs are slowing only because companies are running out of people to get rid of.
Thank you , thank you, thank you... Hopefully things will begin to turn around by 2010... hopefully; thank GOD....
Yea I agree with RS, the unemployment numbers are going to go crazy when they realize how many people ran out of benefits and were no longer being counted.
Americans need to lower their standards and not expect a high paying job right away. It's not that there isn't jobs, but that there isn't the job you want. Expand your horizons. Earn your money. There is great pride in earning your keep. I was laid off. I switched fields and accepted a job I didn't really want. I'm working my way up. It took me five weeks to find a new job. Don't be lazy! Why do I have to support my family and your family?
Jerry, YES IT IS that there arent any jobs PERIOD. I have sent my resume out for EVERYTHING trust me. Not 1 call back. Lousy $9 an hour jobs that are totally beneath me I have applied for. It's easy to call a spade a spade when you actually have a job and don't truly know what you're talking about! Maybe some judgmental employed people should try sending out their resumes just as a experiment and see that even if they're an executive secretary making making $65,000 a year they can't get a call back from a car dealership making $10 an hour as a part-time receptionist. BUT ANYWAY YAAAAAY! Now maybe some people have a real meal and pay their rent~~
Of course some people get lucky and actually get a job that doesn't mean that there are jobs out there. 1 job for every 50 people. You were that lucky person.
Gina,
You just supported my point. Thank you. It's not that you can't find a job, but you find the jobs "beneath you." Isn't earning something better than nothing? Get off your high horse and become a benefit to society, not a drain. Do more than send out resumes. Hit the pavement. Go to companies in person. Talk to human resources or management. Sell yourself to these companies. Have a positive attitude, drive, and motivation instead of the "I can't" mindset.
Not so Jerry, I'm on my 4th. city in Michigan in the last 16 months. I've sent resumes, went to business's personally, gone on the web for anything available and sent out hundreds of resumes while working through Michigan Works. Nothing is available here, the unemployment rate is 20% where I am currently at. I'll keep pushing ahead.
All extended benefits still expire Dec 2009? What the Senate did was for show...not actually helful...they think their constuants can't count...yeah you gave 20 weeks bur there are only 7 weeks left until everything expires!!!
How about next election we have some unemployed senators for being foolish enough not to extend the Dec 2009 cutoff
Brad,
You are correct that Michigan has the highest unemployment rate at 15.3%. Sixteen months? Nothing? No job at any pay rate? Nothing temporary? Nothing to earn any money at all?
Cya, you are right about voting them out. Come on though, we're forgetful Americans. No one will remember by the middle of January. We're always suckered by the voters who only remember the last week before election day. I'm with you though.
Thank the good lord i don't know what we would do with out this
Cya, you are right about voting them out. Come on though, we're forgetful Americans. No one will remember by the middle of January. We're always suckered by the voters who only remember the last week before election day. I'm with you though.
Jerry B., when I want your opinion, I'll give it to you.
legit261,
"Jerry B., when I want your opinion, I'll give it to you." I think you meant "When I want your opinion, I'll ask for it," or something to that effect. Thanks for the laugh though, I appreciate it.
I'm glad this finally passed. Maybe if the Dems weren't trying so hard to shove their socialist health care plan down everyones throats it may have passed sooner. I've been out of work a long time and my benefits ran out in September. It's heart breaking when your 60 years old like I am and go for a job and there are 200 applicants for one position and most a lot younger than myself. They should let people who are over 60 and can't find a job take their social security earlier at full benefit rate.
Jerry, when you were out of work for 5 weeks, who supported you?
YEA HA, the Senate passed the unemployment extension before I was on my death bed. Let me add, we unemployed are good people. At least we are not eating horses, not that we ever would, thank God. I'm Country Carl the Artist and Advocate for additional unemployment benefits on Unemployment-Gone-Mad dot com. Across this great country pawn shops were the only ones mining gold. As we waited for an unemployment extension, thousands more became dumpster divers, tent pitchers and street corner beggars. Even pets were becoming a burden for tearful owners and freaking out as they became abandon. So my hat is off to those of you who finally saw the light, because these New Depression Blues times can drag a good man to the bottle. Bless you Senators my beer summit is to you old farts. So here is another big YEA HA from Country Carl. So google me up and cheer along, you actually finally did it.
7,000 a day not a week!
Hey Boyle, you are saying i should take a job that will not pay my rent and feed me for a month? is that what u mean? sure i can do without cable and internet for a while or fancy food. In california as you well know it costs a few bucks to live here. San Diego especially. I've cut back on everything. A person has to make enough money to survive right? I make 450 a week on unemployment. If I take a 8$ an hour job I only make $320 a week. Then taxes cuts that down. So for a month I will make around 1000$ take home. You try to live on that. Rent 800, food 300, gas for car 100, gas and lights 40, car insurance 30... hmm lets see that is almost 1300$. And that is just for necessities. I want to work but I'm not willing to take a job that will only allow me to live in my car. I have 25 yrs of experience in my chosen field. I can't even get a response to get an interview. Once upon a time when you went job searching you spoke to people. Now you are just a piece of paper in a pile.
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