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| Senate moves towards restoring benefits for long-term unemployed | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The Senate unexpectedly moved towards the temporary restoration of long-term unemployment insurance benefits on Tuesday, after Democrats managed to convince a handful of Republicans to break ranks. A bipartisan bill to revive federal payments to around 1.3 million Americans will soon move to the Republican-controlled House. | The Senate unexpectedly moved towards the temporary restoration of long-term unemployment insurance benefits on Tuesday, after Democrats managed to convince a handful of Republicans to break ranks. A bipartisan bill to revive federal payments to around 1.3 million Americans will soon move to the Republican-controlled House. |
| In a wafer-thin vote on Tuesday, exactly 60 senators – the minimum number required – voted in favour of “cloture”, a procedural measure that cuts off debate and moves legislation towards final approval. | In a wafer-thin vote on Tuesday, exactly 60 senators – the minimum number required – voted in favour of “cloture”, a procedural measure that cuts off debate and moves legislation towards final approval. |
| Six Republicans broke with their party to support the measure. Their votes were essential, not least because three senators, one of them a Democrat, were unable to make the roll call, apparently because of the extreme weather currently affecting much of the US. | Six Republicans broke with their party to support the measure. Their votes were essential, not least because three senators, one of them a Democrat, were unable to make the roll call, apparently because of the extreme weather currently affecting much of the US. |
| A final Senate vote on the bill, which only requires a simple majority of the 100 senators, is now almost certain to pass, before the measure moves to the House. | A final Senate vote on the bill, which only requires a simple majority of the 100 senators, is now almost certain to pass, before the measure moves to the House. |
| Jobseekers who have been out of work for more than six months lost their benefits at the end of December after a bipartisan budget deal on federal spending failed to include a reauthorisation of the insurance program. An additional, smaller group of people saw their benefits cut off on Saturday. | Jobseekers who have been out of work for more than six months lost their benefits at the end of December after a bipartisan budget deal on federal spending failed to include a reauthorisation of the insurance program. An additional, smaller group of people saw their benefits cut off on Saturday. |
| The ‘emergency’ federal benefits program in question applies only to those who’ve been out of work for an unusually long period in times of exceptionally high unemployment. Republicans argue that the bill, which extends the benefits for three months, will do little to help those affected actually find new jobs, and will add an additional $6.4bn to the deficit. | The ‘emergency’ federal benefits program in question applies only to those who’ve been out of work for an unusually long period in times of exceptionally high unemployment. Republicans argue that the bill, which extends the benefits for three months, will do little to help those affected actually find new jobs, and will add an additional $6.4bn to the deficit. |
| Democrats and the White House are behind a concerted push to restore the program, part of their effort to make economic inequality and poverty major political issues in the run-up to November’s mid-term elections. | Democrats and the White House are behind a concerted push to restore the program, part of their effort to make economic inequality and poverty major political issues in the run-up to November’s mid-term elections. |
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