WASHINGTON - Federal checks could start flowing again next week for millions of unemployed who have lost up to seven weeks of unemployment benefits in an impasse in Congress.
President Barack Obama on Thursday signed into law a restoration of benefits for people who have been unemployed for six months or more. Congress approved the measure earlier in the day. The move ended an interruption that would cut payments average about $ 300 per week for 2 1 / 2 million people who were unable to find work after the long and deep recession of the nation.
At stake are up to 73 weeks of federal benefits funded for people who have exhausted their 26 weeks of state benefits without work. Approximately half of the approximately 5 million people in the program have seen their benefits cut since its authorization expired on June 2.
They are eligible for retroactive lump sum payments which are usually delivered directly to their bank accounts or credited to debit cards issued by the State. Many states have encouraged the beneficiaries to keep updating their records in hopes of expediting the payments once the program has been restored.
In states like Pennsylvania and New York, the arrears due out next week, officials said. In others, like Nevada and North Carolina, it may take several weeks for all those who are eligible to receive benefits.
Thursday 272-152 vote in the House sent the bill to the White House.
"Americans who are struggling to find a good job and support their families will finally get the support they need to get back on their feet during these difficult economic times, Obama said in a statement released after the signing measure.
The action of the House within 24 hours after an online vote for the most part of the Senate on Wednesday on the measure, which is a part of a broad program of democratic job that has otherwise mostly collapsed after months of battles with the Republicans.
The measure is what is left of a democratic effort launched in February to renew elements of the bill last year of economic recovery. But the opposition Democrats GOP forced to abandon $ 24 billion to help state governments avoid layoffs and higher taxes and a package of tax cuts expired and a health insurance subsidy for the unemployed.
Disputes about the greatest extent consumed about four months. The portion of unemployment benefits picked up enough support to GOP Senate - Maine moderate Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe - only after he was broken as Bill Self. He has spent the last month it was not the death of Robert Byrd, DW.Va., replacing Byrd, Democrat Card Goodwin, the key vote Tuesday in the 60th defeat of GOP obstruction.
Most Republicans opposed the measure because it would add 34 billion dollars of national debt, which hit 13 billion dollars, arguing that it should have been paid for reductions in other programs, such that money unspent bill last year to stimulate the economy, which returned mixed grades at best, voters such as unemployment rises to 9.5 per cent nationally.
Thirty-one House Republicans, about one in six voted for the measure Thursday, while 10 Democrats opposed it.
"The other side says that extending unemployment benefits for nearly two years are required and must be added to the debt of $ 13 billion, even as they claim their stimulus trillion dollars was a success to create millions of jobs, "said Rep. Charles Boustany, R-La. "One wonders if they are looking at the data the same jobs as the rest of us."
The opposition scored a change of heart for many Republicans who voted for unemployment benefits financed by the deficit in the past, including twice during the administration of George W. Bush. Earlier this year, the Republicans twice led to temporary unemployment measures to pass without requesting a roll-call vote.
Opinion polls show that deficits and debt are of increasing concern for voters, especially Republicans' core conservative supporters and activists of the tea party, whose support is the GOP court in hopes of regain control of Congress.
Republicans started in February when Senator Jim Bunning, R-Ky., A blocked a measure of temporary services for several days, but to relent in the midst of a wave of bad publicity. But a few weeks later, all but a handful of Republicans opposed the renewal of benefits if they were paid for cuts elsewhere in the federal budget $ 3.7 billion.
Democrats countered that many economists say the unemployment benefits to stimulate the economy because most recipients spend them immediately. But these effects are likely to be modest when compared to a saving of 14.6 million billion dollars.
"Unemployment benefits to protect those who lost their jobs through no fault of their own but would lead to job creation, higher wages and a stronger economy for all Americans," said Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif . "The money will be spent immediately on the need, injecting demand into the economy, create jobs."
The program is renewed until the end of November. The White House reported earlier this week that another extension may be requested if the unemployment rate remains high, as many expect.
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