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Will Republicans Try to Block Jobless Benefits (Again)?

The Senate finds itself in an all-too-familiar but very uncomfortable place, facing an April 5 expiration of expanded unemployment insurance and COBRA subsidy programs while it looks to adjourn for a two-week recess this Friday. Despite the fact that both the House and the Senate already passed bills extending those and other programs through the end of 2010, differences between those bills still need to be worked out, something that won’t happen immediately. That means that the Senate will need to pass yet another 30-day extension, something the House has already accomplished.

If this all sounds a bit like the movie Groundhog Day there’s good reason. This is at least the fourth time since last Fall that Congress has had to take up an emergency short-term extension of these critically needed benefits for millions of unemployed.

This time, if the Senate fails to act in time, an estimated one million jobless Americans could lose their unemployment benefits entirely in the month of April alone.

Last time, you’ll recall, the week-long shameless obstruction led by Republican Senator Jim Bunning (KY) was finally defeated and the programs were continued to April 5. Now that deadline isn’t just right around the corner — it’s practically upon us as the Senate plans to take two-weeks off starting the end of this week.

“The Senate has a very important obligation to the unemployed of this country and their families,” Judy Conti, federal advocacy coordinator for the National Employment Law Project, told me today. “Once they finish the business of reforming health care this week, they must pass the 30-day extension of the UI and COBRA programs,” she said, adding that “Senate leadership must commit to staying in session until it is passed, and no one should obstruct this important piece of legislation that is the only lifeline for a million workers next month alone.”

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) reportedly will seek to bring the 30-day extension to a vote under a unanimous consent request, as he did in late February for the previous emergency extension. Whether Bunning or other Republicans would object, forcing a more time consuming set of procedural votes, is uncertain. Republicans could also stall, or endanger timely passage completely, by trying to insist on changes to the bill passed by the House.

If Republicans, tired and bruised by their defeats on health care reform, want to go home for recess, they won’t stand in the way of continuing unemployment benefits for millions of Americans. But if they do attempt their usual obstructions again this time, the Democrats should keep them in session until it is passed.

Tell the Senate to pass the 30-day unemployment and COBRA benefits extension immediately. Click here to send your Senators that message now.

Tags: COBRA, Jim Bunning, unemployment, unemployment extension