Jobless Bill gets approval from US Senate, but prospects at House unlikely

On Monday, the move to resurrect the legislation that would award federal benefits to the long-term unemployed received an approval from the US Senate at a 59-38 vote, The Miami Herald said. A small band of Republicans also had appealed to Speaker John Boehner to allow an election-year action of the proposed legislation in the House as well, the paper said.

The Herald said that the Jobless Bill was the first major statute that the Democrats have sent to the Senate floor following the convention of the US Congress early in the year. According to the paper, the measure, which is supported by the White House, will restore benefits retroactively since it was postponed in December, and will continue through the end of May. According to officials, as many of 2.3 million jobless US workers have since been denied assistance since the expiration of the law last year. Should the law be renewed and will secure an approval from the House, the aid set to be given per qualified unemployed individual will be about $256 weekly, the Herald said. People who will stand to be awarded with federal benefits under this measure are men and women who had been laid off for more than six months.

President Barack Obama said in a statement about the passing of the legislation, "I urge House Republicans to stop blocking a bipartisan compromise...Let's remove this needless drag on our economy and focus on expanding opportunity for all Americans."

Boehner, who has been reluctant to permit the voting of the proposed measure in the House, is concerned about several provisions of the Jobless Bill. Spokesman Michael Steel for Boehner emphasized the speaker's response months ago, and said, "We are willing to look at extending emergency unemployment insurance as long as it includes provisions to help create more private sector jobs - but last week, Senate Democratic leaders ruled out adding any jobs measures at all."

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US Congress, House Speaker John Boehner, President Barack Obama

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