Thursday evening the House of Representatives passed a 30 day extension for emergency unemployment compensation and COBRA health care assistance on a bipartisan voice vote.  When the extension was to be voted on in the Senate, Senator Bunning objected to having an immediate vote on the issue, thus forcing procedural motions that will delay any vote until next week.

“It is outrageous that one Senator can stand in the way of an extension of emergency unemployment benefits,” said Rep. Levin.  “Republican Senators held up the last extension of unemployment benefits only to ultimately pass the legislation by a vote of 98 to 0.”

“The Senate must act as soon as they get back next week.  This delay adds unnecessary stress for unemployed workers who are relying on these benefits as they look for work,” said Rep. Levin.

After the standard 26 week state unemployment benefit, there are currently five tiers of extended unemployment benefits.  If the extended benefits are allowed to expire, workers would be able to receive unemployment benefits through the end of their current tier but not beyond.  The National Employment Law Project estimates that 61,990 people in Michigan and 1.2 million people nationally will lose unemployment benefits in March alone if emergency benefits expire.  The number of long-term unemployed has continued to increase nationwide and is currently at 6.3 million people, the highest level since 1948.