Unemployment Extension Vote Tuesday Not Soon Enough for Millions of Unemployed American Workers

Washington, D.C (July 17) – Carte Goodwin (D-WV) is scheduled to be duly sworn in by the U.S. Senate replacing the dearly departed, Senator Byrd on Tuesday. One of the interim Senator’s first votes most likely is the unemployment extension issue.

When Goodwin is duly sworn in, the Democrats will still be one vote shy of ending any Republican filibusters in the Senate. The Senate will be divided, 59-41 with the Democrats holding the majority but not a mandate.

Carte Goodwin will be joining the Senate as the youngest active serving Senator. Goodwin was the Governor’s former general counsel with his appointment in the Senate up for grabs this coming Novembers general elections.

Governor Manchin is expected to run for Senator Byrd’s seat in the upcoming November election with Republican swill doctors already spinning their propaganda against the incumbent Governor.

The critical vote regarding extending the filing deadline until November 30, 2010 for an additional 73 weeks of federally supplemented unemployment insurance, [Correction, the Senate Calender reflects H.R. 4213 not H.R. 5618 to be voted on at 2:30 pm, thank you Patsy WNV reader] H.R. 5618 Emergency Restoration of Unemployment Extensions Act of 2010 will most likely fall in the hands of one of the two Senators with the Independent Party.

Initially, Senate Democrats were setting up H.R. 5618 for immediate consideration given the Senators that voted for H.R. 4213 agreed to the text of the new bill, giving the Senate the votes needed to produce a filibuster proof bill. The new bill would have moved swiftly forward.

A unanimous-consent agreement (on H.R. 4213 Jobs Creation and Closing Tax Loopholes Act of 2010) was reached providing that at 2:30 p.m., on Tuesday, July 20, 2010, Senate resume consideration of the amendment of the House of Representatives to the amendment of the Senate to H.R. 4213, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to extend certain expiring provisions; that the motion to reconsider be agreed to, and Senate vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the motion to concur in the House amendment to the Senate amendment to the bill with Reid Amendment No. 4425 (to the amendment of the House to the amendment of the Senate to the bill), in the nature of a substitute.

Once cloture passes, the Senate will then have to vote on passage of the “motion to concur in the House amendment to the Senate amendment to the bill with Reid Amendment No. 4425” within 30 hours. The Republicans could choose to keep the debate open for the full 30 hours, or they could let the Democrats proceed with the final vote sooner if not, immediately.

Long-term unemployed, those belonging to the 99er’s group, are still going without any hopes of seeing an increase in the weeks of benefits made available under the current plan or, the new House bill. Several efforts have been attempted to reach out to members of Congress to provide additional assistance to the 99er’s however, with as stiff the opposition from the minority party has been regarding current legislation, any further assistance in the near future for those that have exhausted all their benefits seems unlikely.

A vote on the H.R. 4213 fell one vote short, not counting the Majority Leader Harry Reid’s vote on an attempt prior to the fourth of July recess to move pending legislation forward. During the vote, Senator Bill Nelson (D-NE), voted against the measure. Nebraska currently is one of the very few states in the union not suffering high rates of unemployment.

Two Senate Republicans from Maine, Senator Snowe, and Senator Collins voted for the bill pushing the first vote, just one vote shy of cloture. Both Senators have been very proactive with their constituents of the State of Maine regarding not only unemployment but the overall job market as well.

Hopefully, America’s unemployed can count on both Senators from Maine along with the Democratic leadership to give the bill the 60 votes to move the bill along with hopes of President Obama’s signature by the end of the week at latest.

Senator Bernard Sanders (I-VT) is another member of the Senate that has been passionately pleading with Senate Republicans to pass current legislation along with giving full support to Americas unemployed. Senator Sanders is one that believes in the future of America, and is working hard regarding jobs creation as well as, long-term stabilization to the nation’s economy.

Chief Editor – WorldNewsVine

Posted by worldnews on July 17, 2010. Filed under economic recovery,economy,National News,News,Politics,US Politics. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

All comments are held for moderation. Registered members will see their comments immediately following, their first approved post.

35 Responses to Unemployment Extension Vote Tuesday Not Soon Enough for Millions of Unemployed American Workers

Patsy1950

July 17, 2010 at 8:04 pm

It is HR4213 that will go to the floor on Tuesday. I watched C-span and this is the bill that will be brought, not HR5618.

Like or Dislike: 0 0
- Editor
  
  July 17, 2010 at 8:17 pm
  
  I stand corrected… the Senate Calendar was updated to reflect H.R. 4213… I will make the appropriate corrections thank you… unfortunately however, this means the bill will need to go back to the House since, it has been modified since it reached the Senate floor…. that’s really kind of too bad… I suppose on the flip side of the coin, it does not need to go back for appropriations (I Hope) since the bill was scaled down…..
  
  Like or Dislike: 0 0
  - Editor
    
    July 17, 2010 at 8:58 pm
    
    I don’t know about this either there is a mistake on the Senate Calendar or….
    
    It was my understanding regarding the H.R. 5618 was set to go whereas, the H.R. 4213 will have to go back to the House and return to the Senate to make certain they agree to the same bill..
    
    What is happening on Tuesday is a cloture vote on H.R. 4213 and the Senate Calendar ends there (July 20)…
    
    And here is my reasoning behind my original article…
    
    Last week Senator Whitehouse received approval to have H.R. 5618 placed on the Senate calendar. On Wednesday they waived the second reading of the new bill H.R. 5618 meaning that instead of having to go to committee, the bill is to be given immediate consideration.
    
    Now with this cloture business, if the Senate is moving on cloture of the original House Bill then, the unemployed are in great shape. This is due to the fact if, the Senate votes on H.R. 4213 that has been modified, it will need to go back to the House for reconciliation, (meaning committee, that’s going to have to take time for consideration) then, back to the House floor for a vote, and THEN, back to the Senate for one final vote to insure that both bodies are voting on the same bill (that could take weeks)….
    
    I am going to send out a request for verification to a few of our Senate contacts on this matter ASAP…
    
    Please check back for updates….
    
    I hope this is not the case, that the cloture is on the original house bill…
    
    Like or Dislike: 0 0
    - Editor
      
      July 17, 2010 at 9:21 pm
      
      That was fast:
      
      A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing that at 2:30 p.m., on Tuesday, July 20, 2010, Senate resume consideration of the amendment of the House of Representatives to the amendment of the Senate to H.R. 4213, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to extend certain expiring provisions; that the motion to reconsider be agreed to, and Senate vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the motion to concur in the House amendment to the Senate amendment to the bill with Reid Amendment No. 4425 (to the amendment of the House to the amendment of the Senate to the bill), in the nature of a substitute.
      
      Once cloture passes, the Senate will then have to vote on passage of the “motion to concur in the House amendment to the Senate amendment to the bill with Reid Amendment No. 4425” within 30 hours. The Republicans could choose to keep the debate open for the full 30 hours, or they could let the Democrats proceed within the final vote sooner.
      
      Bottom-line good news… If this passes, it will effectively ends the tax breaks the rich are receiving for shipping jobs overseas for starters, that nearly 3.5 million jobs lost between 2004 and 2008 according to the AFL-CIO… now, if the Greedy Oil People don’t simply say, “the heck with that, will just pass the cost off to the consumer” and keep the jobs overseas then, I guess Americans employed and/or unemployed will simply take it in the wallet. If not, hopefully we could see a return of those jobs lost overseas back into the U.S. market.
      
      Like or Dislike: 0 0
  - Jim
    
    July 18, 2010 at 6:41 am
    
    Let me correct you again. 4213 is dead. Anyone (or anything) suggesting that this is what’s going to be voted on come TUE is mis-informed. 5618 is the only bill that is ready to be voted on come TUE. This is a TYPO or a mistake or something else. Please verfiy that it’s a type and stop relying on word of mouth. Thank you.
    
    Like or Dislike: 0 0
    - Editor
      
      July 18, 2010 at 8:19 am
      
      Wrong – Jim….
      
      I thought the same thing and just received further clarification on the situation. H.R. 4213 is to have a cloture vote on Tuesday, the bill is the exact same bill the House sent up…
      
      Like or Dislike: 0 0
Pingback: Tweets that mention Unemployment Extension Vote Tuesday Not Soon Enough for Millions of Unemployed American Workers | Breaking News WorldNewsVine -- Topsy.com
Peter

July 17, 2010 at 9:03 pm

All,

I just got word on the Tier 5 issue that there are now people actively working on it.

- Congressman JimMcDermott of Washington State: He has a subcommittee of the House Ways and Means that is working to develop a long term program to help the long-term unemployed. Actually this is old news.

- Senators Dick Durbin of Illinois, Al Franken of Minnesota, Jeff Merkley of Oregon and Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island; all are openly support adding a Tier 5 to the UI program for the long-term unemployed (99rs) who have already “exhausted” all of their Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefits.

- Senators Debra Stabenow & Carl Levin of Michigan: They strongly support adding a Tier 5 to the UI program.

- Senators Kirsten Gillibrand & Charles Schumer of New York: They spoke openly months ago about supporting a Tier 5 for the UI program (old news).

- Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio: He supports including “expanded” 99r UI benefits in current legislation like HR 4213.

- Congressman Lloyd Doggett of Texas & Congresswomen Shelley Berkley and Dina Titus of Nevada: They are actively working on Tier 5 legislation and its financing, for the long-term unemployed (99rs) who have already “exhausted” all of their Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefits.

- Representative James Clyburn of South Carolina: He feels Congress should stay in session through this August break, until a bill that includes additional UI program Tier 5 weeks of benefits for the 99rs is signed into law.

Like or Dislike: 0 0
- Editor
  
  July 18, 2010 at 12:10 am
  
  Nothing happening before August recess is the word on the streets…. Congress will be in recess for less than 3 or 4 weeks….. I will check with our sources however, as you’ve stated this is pretty much “old news”
  
  As far as staying in session goes during an election year, highly unlikely I can’t locate any references to that happening in recent times…
  
  Clyburn, Titus, and Jim McDermott have been advocating this for months… still nothing, last word we received from Rep. McDermott’s press office was he was working on TANF programs for the long-term unemployed…
  
  Who are these mysterious sources of yours Peter? I would like to follow-up with their press offices to get some official transcripts before any hopes are dished out…
  
  Like or Dislike: 0 0
  - Peter
    
    July 18, 2010 at 11:36 am
    
    Editor,
    
    I derived the information from column stories written by
    
    - Michael Thornton of the Rochester Unemployment Examiner
    
    - [ That Resource is Banned from the site]
    
    and information I read or viewed in the main stream media,
    in particular on TV. In my statement, everything is new news,
    if not indicated as “old news”
    
    Also, ABC news is working on a couple of news shows just about the 99rs.
    I also derived this information from the above sources.
    I follow them regularly.
    
    Note, I am not trying to Spam here, just trying to pass
    good news I have heard elsewhere. I rely on the information in your
    column stories as well, thanks.
    
    Like or Dislike: 0 0
    - Editor
      
      July 18, 2010 at 11:47 am
      
       Peter – it is old news… unless the Speaker of the House has a change of ideas, and Congress does not take a recess for the summer, maybe…. But, you are shooting at a falling star not to mention your one source is totally bogus…. Now, to get to the point… Congress wouldn’t remain in session to pass the current extension (and there would have been no need to IF Senator Byrd hadn’t passed away), they would have had the votes to pass the bill… the bill was stalled until a replacement was named… To date, I have not found a any mention in recent history of a Congress missing a “scheduled recess”….
      
      So tell me Peter, maybe this Michael fellow can name his sources otherwise, it sounds like wishful thinking for the 99er’s…. their best hopes are that once H.R. 4213 does pass, and the Tax Loopholes are closed that sent millions of jobs overseas, is enough influence to bring those 3+ million jobs back home… that’s a start especially for the long-term that lost their jobs due to factory closings, etc…
      
      Like or Dislike: 0 0
    - Editor
      
      July 18, 2010 at 11:53 am
      
      P.S. Our Nevada Editor, T. Cahill has had direct contact with Dina Titus regarding a wide range of topics, unemployment to mortgage bailouts… I am certain she would have been on the phone with me letting me know there was something “printable” regarding unemployment insurance… this business of this person heard from that person, and that person read from someone else’s blog really is nothing more than scuttlebutt
      
      I will ask the Nevada editor to follow-up with Dina Titus tomorrow…
      
      Like or Dislike: 0 0
      - Peter
        
        July 18, 2010 at 12:04 pm
        
        Editor,
        Could we exchange this discussion by email?
        You left out some of my post. I would like to
        have a polite discussion between just the 2 of us,
        so we don’t splat missinformation on your news thread.
        You have my email.
        Thanks,
        Peter
        
        Like or Dislike: 0 0
      - Editor
        
        July 18, 2010 at 12:16 pm
        
        WorldNewsVine reserves the right to edit all materials on this news site for content… please read the terms of service, thank you.
        
        Like or Dislike: 0 0
      - Peter
        
        July 18, 2010 at 2:55 pm
        
        Editor,
        
        Please tell us what you find. I will relay your comments.
        I appreciate you input.
        
        Thank you!
        
        Like or Dislike: 0 0
      - Editor
        
        July 18, 2010 at 4:01 pm
        
        Will do… just spoke with the Nevada Editor and she will be speaking with Dina Titus’ office tomorrow however, she stated she was told the same information back in mid-April…. I am certain everyone would like to see additional relief go out unfortunately, with the passing of Senator Kennedy, and his interim replacement Brown being nothing more than a GOP robot, in all likelihood, even though the masses were upset, it probably won’t be until November IF following the general elections, the Senate regains the mandate, and the House retains or gains ground regarding the Democratic leadership…. otherwise, we all know the GOP motto, “If it ain’t for the rich or some phony war, the money is just not there”….
        
        Like or Dislike: 0 0
Regina Alexander

July 18, 2010 at 2:20 am

!!VOTE OUT THE REPUBLICANS IN NOVEMBER!! Please sign the petition @change.org

Like or Dislike: 0 0
IXLNXS

July 18, 2010 at 6:34 am

TANF?

I don’t want Welfare or to have to jump through government hoops to get enough money to just get by on. I want a job and the chance to share in some of that American Dream we were brain washed into believing existed.

Like or Dislike: 0 0
Glenn B N.J.

July 18, 2010 at 9:00 am

Currently the passing of this bill still won’t help the million and counting of those over 99 weeks requesting a Tier 5. Also this important fact is still not mentioned in the main steam news media? Most Americans think the passing of this bill fixes everything. It’s only a band-aid until November 2010 or until those on Tiers 1 thru 4 reach 99 weeks then were all back where we started with no jobs and no unemployment!!! Then there’s the August recess. (another vacation break) Too bad we can’t all be Senators at $170.000.00 a year and all those vacations.

Like or Dislike: 0 0
- Peter
  
  July 18, 2010 at 2:53 pm
  
  Glen B N.J.
  
  I agree. Despite observing some distinction being made in the news (some but not enough) between the needs of the long-term unemployed (>26weeks but 99weeks); I am convinced that the majority of people think the needs between these two groups is unrecognized, misunderstood or is being ignored because of the costs to resolve the overall problem, especially in Washington DC.
  
  Note that I have written letters to Senators and Congressmen about the 99rs; and some respond only acknowledging the long-term unemployed (>26weeks but less than 99weeks), but not the 99rs. With all the effort I put into it, I can’t tell you how frustrated I am.
  
  But I have seen the needs of the two groups of long-term unemployed made on TV. I have seen it the ED Schultz TV (also heard on his Radio Show), The Rachell Maddow Show & Keitr Olbermann (Countdown) Show. Dianne Sawyer did a piece for ABC, and ABC is going to do a special just for the 99rs this coming week.
  
  I also have seen it made in sections of The New York Times and sources it provides links to. But despite it all, more has to be done to get the word out.
  
  Like or Dislike: 0 0
john

July 18, 2010 at 9:43 am

Poll on support or oppose unemployment extension.

Upper right.

Like or Dislike: 0 0
Bikergirl

July 18, 2010 at 11:50 am

I will believe it when I see it!

Like or Dislike: 0 0
Pingback: Services Tuesday for Rev. Wiseman | Personal services
G

July 18, 2010 at 2:47 pm

How can you vote if you are unemployed & homeless? You need an address to get your voting forms for your local voting office. They do not want you to vote they don’t want you to do anything but die… It is selective elimination of the educated poor & middle class they fell threatened by and cannot control at the moment… Wake up U.S citizens we are getting sold out!!! We the people need to stand up together organize and take additional actions and follow trough to chance how our government is run. It’s very possible!
Support our cause to save our country & people who need it sign this “Petition to Reduce the Wages of Congress Men and Women from $174,000 per year to $50,000 per year. ” Copy & Paste below link into address bar:

Pass it on!

Like or Dislike: 0 0
- Editor
  
  July 18, 2010 at 4:04 pm
  
  Folks please, no spamming and keep the self promotion to a minimal…. thank you
  
  Like or Dislike: 0 0
Pingback: Unemployment Extension Vote Tuesday Not Soon Enough for Millions …
Sherry Callahan

July 19, 2010 at 10:21 am

I keep hearing from our Senators that the unemployed are not looking for jobs, that the unemployed are just sitting around collecting benefits and not looking for work. I call B.S!
If they would look at the amount of unemployment checks that are going out to the unemployed, they would find that most people are drawing a third of what they made in their last job.
How in the world do our Senators think we are content with employment benefits? For the most part we can not pay our mortgages, loans, utilities or even buy food that will last our families threw the week.
The President should stop their pay checks for a few months and let them feel our pain (the unemployed). Better yet put the Senators on unemployment for at least 10 months (payment made by the same rules that the employed are paid). Let them use all their retirement funds and saving to survive like the unemployed have done, just to put food on the table.
I am only 1 person and know I can not change anything by myself but, if everyone that is on unemployment unites then we can make a change in 2012. When I vote in the next elections I promise I will not vote anyone in of has already served as a Senator.
There are not doing their jobs to sever “We The People” they are only severing them self.
We need to let our Senators know, we are ready to fire them for poor performance of their duties.

Like or Dislike: 0 0
Holly Baldwin

July 19, 2010 at 9:31 pm

My question is this regarding HR 4213, the date of the end of the extension is November 30, 2010 and it grants up to 99 weeks of unemployment benefits. So does this mean that in November that Congress is once again going to have to vote and the unemployed are going to again lose their unemployment insurance benefits even though they have only used 60 weeks? Why not change the date to reflect July 30, 2011, so that the unemployed don’t have to go with benefits and paying their bills.

Like or Dislike: 0 0
- Editor
  
  July 19, 2010 at 9:33 pm
  
  Hopefully not… that is the economy picking up by then…. and to answer your questions it’s all about dollars… that would cost hundreds of billions and the Republican’s would never in a day go for that…
  
  Like or Dislike: 0 0
  - Holly Baldwin
    
    July 19, 2010 at 9:40 pm
    
    Too bad that the unemployed can’t sue the Senators for holding this up for all their pain and suffering that they are going through without having money to put food on their tables, pay utilities, pay for their rent and mortgages, etc. At least what Congress could to is to also include the “Federal Additional Compensation” and instead of $25 a week extra make it $50 a week until November 30!
    
    Like or Dislike: 0 0
- Holly Baldwin
  
  July 19, 2010 at 9:35 pm
  
  Oops, I forgot! They have sat on this bill for so long that the date should be changed. Let’s give the unemployed a peace of mind for a while that this is not going to happen again at Christmas time.
  
  Like or Dislike: 0 0
Paul

July 19, 2010 at 11:38 pm

I am very passionate about the passage of HR 4213 with Tier 5 and the Cobra Premium Assistance Program…I sincerely believe that Washington has failed over 4 Million hard working unemployed fellow Americans. This bill was to be passed before the Memorial Day vacation, and as of the middle of July is still being thrown around Pennsylvania Avenue. The unemployed are now not only black and blue but bloody from being kicked to the tune of the old Potomac Congressional soft shoe containing lots of spikes….The unemployed cannot accept the unacceptable!!

The unemployed are not a football we are a group of long term faceless citizens who have exhausted all available weeks of unemployment benefits. Some have been without any income since March, (some January and February) and are still unable to find employment. We spend every day sending out resumes and applying for jobs, 90% of the time we don’t even receive an acknowledgement that our resumes and applications were received. There are well over four million of us, and that number continues to grow each week as more people join our plight. The statistics reported by the Department of Labor, are not accurate. They do not include exhaustees, underemployed and people who have given up looking for jobs because they do not have to funds to do so. Lots of us have no health insurance… Many of us have gone through all of our savings, and have had to pay penalties to withdraw our retirement IRA’s in order to try and survive. As a last resort, some are selling their blood to blood banks so they can feed their families. Congress has made our American dream become an American nightmare.

Age discrimination has played a significant role in not being able to land a job. Most of us are in our late 40s, 50s and 60s. That, coupled with being over qualified for any low paying job we apply for is destroying the baby boomer middle class. Lately, there have been temporary agencies that have told us their clients do not want to hire anyone that has been unemployed for a long period of time. What are we supposed to do?

Congress has bailed out the banks, automobile manufactures and Wall Street, they have sent money to Haiti, they have spent billions on two wars and no one worried about the deficit and the money that was being spent. Now, to help people who elected Washington into office, Congress argues over where the money will come from and forcing us all into poverty. We want to be recognized as the hard working Americans we once were. You have taken away our dignity, our love for our country and the faith we once had for the lawmakers we voted into office.

This country desperately needs this bill to be passed immediately. The fact that unemployment is at an all-time high; there is a good possibility that without Government help, there will be a double dip recession. Not something we need now or anytime. Nobody wants to be unemployed anywhere in this country. As you know unemployment is only $22,300 before taxes per year in New York State that is if the person gets the maximum including the extra $25. Even though it varies in different states, the allocations are hardly a living. There is no financial incentive to stay on unemployment any longer than necessary. There are very few good jobs out there and the people I know positively that do not have a job are trying very hard to find a decent position…How can people concentrate on the duty of seeking work in such a market if they worry they won’t have a roof over their head, a phone that may be disconnected, food for their family or their car to get to the interview while dodging the repossession man… No one needs funds more than all the hardworking Americans who have lost their jobs through no fault of their own and are having such difficulties finding a new job.

Providing Tier 5 and extending the Cobra Premium Assistance Program would benefit those who, despite their best efforts, have been trying to find employment for over two years now. Yes, that’s right – two years. Flipping burgers at McDonald’s is not a job to keep ones head above water, and if this bill is not passed, we will have half the population serving burgers to the other half….It would be a very sad commentary for all of us!!! .

Christine Owens, executive director of the National Employment Law Project said today that, according to the Congressional Budget Office, unemployment insurance is the most effective form of economic stimulus, creating $1.93 in GDP for every $1 in benefits. “Our real deficit is a jobs deficit,” she said on a conference call with reporters. “It is urgent that Congress act to restore the extended unemployment and COBRA programs as quickly as possible.”

Our people will not and cannot accept the unacceptable!!!! It’s about time President Obama puts his foot down to preach the riot act on Capital Hill. We must take care of our own first. We need this bill passed immediate with Tier 5 and the Cobra Premium Assistance Program before it is too late!!!!

Sincerely,
A very concerned and worried unemployed American

Like or Dislike: 0 0
- TZ
  
  July 21, 2010 at 11:33 am
  
  Thank you. You need an interview on ALL media outlets – you are speaking 100% truth.
  
  Like or Dislike: 0 0
Dale

July 22, 2010 at 1:58 pm

Everyone I am watching C-Span an the house of representatives has passed the unemployment extension which means no more voting. The bill will now be sent to the president to be signed tonight and they say people should receive their retroactive checks as soon as next week.

Like or Dislike: 0 0
Pingback: Tribute to Senator Ted Kennedy | SenatorWatch.info