Unemployment extension

The Senate passes a bipartisan bill reauthorizing emergency unemployment insurance in a 59-38 vote. The bill is authored by Sens. Jack Reed (D-RI) and Dean Heller (R-NV). Senate Democrats incorporated Republican ideas into the bill, including banning millionaires from receiving benefits and offering enhanced assessments and referrals to reemployment services. It is fully paid for by extending ‘pension smoothing’ provisions and customs user fees. Reed:

Millions of Americans are struggling to find work, and today, the U.S. Senate finally passed a bipartisan bill to provide them some targeted, temporary relief.  Restoring emergency unemployment insurance is the right thing to do and this is a critical moment to get it done.  The bipartisan bill we crafted is a fiscally responsible compromise that will help save and create jobs, assist our neighbors in need, and improve both our short-term and long-term national economic health.