Author: PCG | Posted: 23. July 2010 04:32

The House passed the unemployment benefit extension within hours of receiving legislation passed in the Senate after weeks of debate over The American Jobs and Closing Tax Loopholes Act of 2010. The Senate last month passed amendments to segregate the unemployment benefits from the rest of the original legislation. On July 21, the Senate passed the legislation with a vote of 59 – 40.

 
The bill will restore benefits to about 2.5 million people who have been unemployed for the past six months, according to recent numbers released by the Department of Labor. Since jobless insurance ended on June 2, the benefits when passed will be retroactive, and will last through November. Depending on the state's unemployment rate, benefits can last up to 99 weeks. Additional legislation introduced last week, The Restoration of Unemployment Benefits, was introduced by Rep. Jim McDermott (D-WA) and extends benefits through part of next year may still bring fiscal relief to many Americans without jobs and the hope of immediate employment.