Senate to Vote on Jobless Benefits; Bush Signals Support

Henry J. Pulizzi reports on the White House. The Senate plans to vote as soon as today on a House-passed measure to extend unemployment insurance by seven weeks for those without jobs whose benefits have run out and 13 weeks for those in states with an unemployment rate higher than 6%. The vote requires support from 60 senators to pass. The White House said today it now backs the extension of unemployment benefits. “Because of the tight job market, the President believes it would be appropriate to further extend unemployment benefits, and he would sign the legislation now pending in Congress,” White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said. Earlier Thursday, the Labor Department said the number of U.S. workers filing new claims for unemployment benefits soared again last week to its highest level in 16 years, suggesting more pain ahead for already struggling labor markets. Initial claims jumped 27,000 to a seasonally-adjusted 542,000 in the week ended Nov. 15. That’s the ... (link)