Senate advances jobless aid
Source: Politico
The Senate took a key step forward on renewing expired unemployment benefits, voting to open debate on a bipartisan measure on Thursday afternoon.
The 65-34 vote was a significant breakthrough, putting the Senate on a glide path to final passage early next week.
But Speaker John Boehner has indicated he has no intention of putting the proposal on the House floor, citing concerns about implementation and a dearth of job-creation provisions in the package. Some Senate Republicans forged ahead anyway, despite Boehner’s opposition.
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Working closely with Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Collins and GOP Sens. Dean Heller of Nevada, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Mark Kirk of Illinois, Rob Portman of Ohio agreed with Democrats to restore through May long-term jobless benefits that expired on Dec. 28. That Republican support ensured that the bill could clear a 60-vote hurdle in the Senate, a remarkable breakthrough after a similar package fell just one vote short in February and other measures suffered numerous other false starts this year.
Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2014/03/senate-unemployment-benefits-105109.html
The voting record should be available in an hour here:
http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/vote_menu_113_2.htm
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