Senate could pass its jobless benefits bill tonight
The Senate could pass its extension of unemployment benefits as early as tonight.
The Senate is expected to take up the issue again at 4 this afternoon, and then vote on whether to end debate and proceed to a vote on the bill. That vote is expected to get at least the 60-vote margin necessary to end debate. If so, it's possible, senators may agree to immediately proceed to passing the measure.
But, because the Senate and House bills differ, conferees will have to be appointed to come up with a compromise bill. That bill would have to pass both chambers, then go to President Barack Obama, who has signaled he'll sign it.
As of Oct. 16, 44,484 Michiganians had cashed their last unemployment check. Between Oct. 16 and Jan. 8, another 54,305 will exhaust their benefits unless Congress expands the program.
Gov. Jennifer Granholm's Washington office says if all that were completed this week -- a high hurdle -- the Unemployment Insurance Agency would be able to begin payments to those who've exhausted their benefits by mid-December.
The Senate will consider extending jobless benefits by 14 weeks for all states, plus six additional weeks for Michigan and other hard-hit states. The House-passed bill extends 13 weeks of additional benefits to states with unemployment rates of 8.5 percent or more. Michigan's rate is 15.3 percent --the highest in the nation.
