Senate Rejects Unemployment Benefits, Extends Homebuyer Tax Credit
EmailABC News’ Matthew Jaffe reports:
The Senate tonight hurriedly passed an extension of a tax credit for first-time home buyers, but again rejected a measure to restore and extend
unemployment benefits for the long-term jobless.
The extension of the closing deadline for the first-time
home buyer tax credit until September 30 was passed by unanimous consent,
clearing the way for President Obama to sign the measure. Time was of the
essence since the previous deadline for people who have already qualified for
the credit to close their purchases and qualify for the up-to-$8,000 tax credit
was today.
But the real headline of this evening’s developments
on Capitol Hill was Senate Republicans blocking yet another attempt by
Democrats to restore unemployment insurance. The measure was rejected by a vote
of 58-38 when it needed 60 votes to overcome a key procedural hurdle..
For the past eight weeks Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid
has fought to extend the unemployment benefits after they lapsed on June 2.
Today there are some 1.2 million laid-off workers still waiting for their
benefits to be restored – this bill would have done that and extended the
benefits through November 30.
Reid tonight managed to secure the votes of the two moderate
Republican senators from Maine Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe, bringing him to
the brink of the 60-vote threshold. However, Democrat Ben Nelson of Nebraska
voted against the bill, leaving it one vote short of the 60 it needed. Even
though the final tally read 58 votes in the “aye” column, Reid
would obviously have supported the measure but he changed his vote to
“nay” in a procedural move to allow for a re vote once it became
clear that tonight’s attempt would fail. Three Republicans — Sens. Kit Bond of Missouri,
Jim DeMInt of South Carolina and Pat Roberts of Kentucky — did not vote.
“We only needed one more Republican to get this
done,” a frustrated Reid said on the Senate floor.
If there is a silver lining for Democrats, it is that they
will likely succeed in passing the jobs bill as soon as a replacement for the
late Sen. Robert Byrd is named in West Virginia.
The stiff Republican opposition to the jobs measure has
stemmed from GOP lawmakers’ aversion to tacking another $33.9 billion
– the price-tag for the bill – onto the government’s soaring
deficits. Instead, Republicans want to pay for the bill with funds from last
year’s $787 billion stimulus package.
“We can’t support job-killing taxes and adding
tens of billions to the already unsustainable national debt,” explained
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. “The only reason the unemployment
extension has not passed is because our friends on the other side simply refuse
to pass a bill that doesn’t add to the debt. That’s it.”
Senators this evening also passed by unanimous consent an
extension of the federal flood insurance program until September 30. The
program had expired on June 1, but with Hurricane Alex storming in from the
Gulf of Mexico, senators felt compelled to act swiftly on that front before
they skip town for the next week and a half.
Wednesday night's vote was the last until senators return
from a week-plus break for the 4th of July Holiday. ON Thursday lawmakers will pay tribute to Byrd as his
body lies in state in the Senate chamber, then on Friday they will head to West
Virginia for a memorial for Byrd in his home state, and next week they are off
for the holiday recess.
-Matthew Jaffe
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This just burns me up. Even for a person with maximum benefits, $8000 would mean 6 months of UE payments. I worked my a** off for 35 years before being laid off, went back to school immediately after losing my (now obsolete) career of 25 of those years, and no one gave me a handout to buy my house. I understand that the idea is to bring construction jobs back, but it ain’t happening; there are too many cheap houses due to foreclosures and (ahem!) unemployed people short selling and moving into whatever rental they can find at the minimum price while they wait to get back to work. .
Posted by: janice lancaster | July 1, 2010, 12:25 am 12:25 am
WOW!!! THIS IS A JOKE!!!!!With NO job, NO unemployment, The banks NOT Lending… WHO THE HELL IS GOING TO BE ABLE TO BUY A HOUSE!!! Me I’d love to buy a house, but BANKS don’t loan to people with some credit problems, instead I have ot rent at a much higher amount than I would IF I were able to get credit…
Posted by: Norma | July 1, 2010, 4:43 am 4:43 am
I have been on Unempoyment for awail now I have 150 apps in and no respunds from none of those you know it is sad that I cant even get a jod flipping a buger becouse I am 42 and when I see 30billon going oversees and these Republicans talk about unemployment benafits is adding to the national debt that burns me up I lost my as of June the 2 I cant even get food stamps that is really sad I thank they need to lose all of there money and try to live like I have I was only getting $200 aweek
Posted by: robin | July 1, 2010, 8:40 am 8:40 am
How will the unemployed pay higher taxes without unemployment benefits? Democrats, have you no decency?
If somebody is cutting benefits, you need to CUT TAXES! Why are only the rich exempt from paying taxes?
When the middle class and working poor would actually spend that money HERE, instead of overseas, and stash it in foreign bank accounts!
Posted by: CBA | July 1, 2010, 12:39 pm 12:39 pm
I think too that they need to live like we have had to, with no job and no prospects for one. this is awful, every day that goes by we are on the verge of looseing our homes, our vehicales, our credit is going bad, our self respect is hitting an all time low. Please do not let this happen, pass the unemployment extension!!!! We voted for you to be able to be there to vote for us!!!! Don’t let us down.
Posted by: Cathy | July 1, 2010, 12:51 pm 12:51 pm
I am very frustrated by the actions or lack of action by the US Senators to pass the Unemployment Bill. Why is it so hard? It shouldn’t be that hard to make a decision to pass the Unemployment Bills that will temporarily save Millions of Americans. We need to be able to hold on until you do your jobs and create some for us. This Unemployment monies is just to help us maintain until you all can create or bring back Jobs for us to go to. In most Senators heads, they’ve convinced themselves that “We the People” are unemployed because we are lazy and don’t want to work. “We the People are here to tell you that we do want to work…but there are no jobs for us to work. We are not lazy, but we are worried about how we are going to survive right now…TODAY!! Here are some facts that you are obviously forgetting… We didn’t lose our jobs because we were bad employees…we lost our jobs because of the 16 years of Bush politics. Has everyone forgotten how we got into this mess in the first place? WARS and Rumors of WARS, amongst other things. Now all people can do is blame all of our problems on Pres. Obama…WOW, didn‘t he just come on the scene?!!! “WE THE PEOPLE” want to work!! We want to work right now…but guess what? We need jobs in order to go to work!!! We don’t want to be on Unemployment, but unfortunately, it’s all we have for now. Oops…I sorry all we HAD! “We the People” are VICTIMS of our own Government members that are rich and out of touch with us! Hey all you Senators, that are not voting for the UNEMPLOYED PEOPLE. Here’s a few questions for all of you. Have you ever been hungry because you don’t have any money to feed you and your children? Have you ever lost your place of residence because you can’t pay your rent or mortgages? Have you ever try to find work for over 17 months day after day with no results? Have you ever had to explain to your children that they may be separated from the family because you can’t take care of them? Have you ever had to tell your children that you all might me living in the family car if you have one? Here, I can answer that for you all, since your brain is taken so long for you to answer! The answer is No, never and especially right now! You have a paycheck and savings and houses and cars and vacations and everything you need…so there’s no way you can feel our pain. Shame on you all for kicking us while we’re down, it’s because of your “Business as Usual Attitudes“! And who gives a flying leap about the little people. I guess you all have forgotten, “WE THE PEOPLE” are who make AMERICA GREAT!!! MAY GOD TOUCH YOUR HEARTS and BRING YOU BACK TO REALITY!!! HELP US, HELP OURSELVES!! HELP US KEEP AMERICA GREAT! DON’T MAKE US PAY FOR YOU TO CREATE JOBS FOR US…WE’VE GIVEN EVERYTHING WE HAVE ALREADY!!! STOP THE MADNESS!!
Posted by: mymy1958 | July 1, 2010, 2:19 pm 2:19 pm
Here’s a challenge to all of you Senators that can’t seem to make up your minds on the Unemployment Bill Extension. Can you and your families survive on $O for more then a week, not a month? I mean without your high powered friends and big checking and savings accounts help from Family and Friends? I know the answer to those questions!! No!! No you can’t! Because guess what, everywhere you go, and everyone you encounter in your support system can’t or won’t help you…everyone will turn there backs on you too. Think about it, before you cast your next vote, to turn down the Unemployment Bill and the AMERICAN PEOPLE. You say No!!! or Nay to supporting Americans that have given you your jobs!!! Next time you’re up for election don’t bother sending anything to our houses to obtain our support…because we won’t be there! We’ll be living on the streets and eating at food kitchen, if we can find one…or looking for handouts from stranger at the freeway entrances. Shame on you all!!! I guess if we were on Wall Street or selling Weapons, Oil or were people from another country in need… then maybe we could get some money out of you. “We the People” are VICTIMS of the SYSTEM!!! WE ARE NOT LAZY!!! WE WANT TO WORK and have done so for hundreds of years to make AMERICA GREAT!! So create Jobs without putting us on the streets. Give us JOBS without taken food out of our mouths!! Give us JOBS, so we can get our self respect back!! Give us JOBS, without treating us as if we don’t deserve our UI checks! We are human; we are AMERICANS, who have worked for many years to keep America Great!! We want to be proud again…but you all are making it hard for us. Don’t punish us for your mistakes!!! We didn’t lose our jobs because of something that we did!! But because of something you all did or didn’t do. The choices that you all have made have ruined us all!! We pay our taxes and are hardworking people…but you are using our monies to fund Wars and other countries!!! Don’t you all see what you are doing to the real Americans? Help keep us a float, while you create jobs. Don’t punish us because you all aren’t doing your jobs!!! Help us to help keep America safe inside America. If you don’t pass this Bill, it doesn’t take a Rocket Scientist to figure out what is going to happens to the Cities and Towns that where we are trying to live in. We will be faced with Homelessness, Hunger, Violent Crimes and Death. Please help us to help ourselves and our families. We want to have a home with electricity and food and water…we want to be able to continue our job searches so that we can help make America strong and great again!!! We are sad and we are hurt that you don’t care about “WE the PEOPLE”. Remember the ones that are UNEMPLOYED AMERICANS!! We didn’t make ourselves UNEMPLOYED, the Government made us UNEMPLOYED! WE WANT TO WORK…GIVE US JOBS…GIVE US JOBS NOW!!! AND QUIT CALLING US LAZY AND ACTING LIKE we don’t deserve the money that we’ve worked for all of our lives!!! Remember we did just get off the Boat or Plane or cross a fence to get here…WE WERE BORN HERE!
Signed, a BLACK 51 year old Female, whose been Unemployed for 17 months with 30 years of experience, who puts in 10-20 apps online and in person (w/doc. proof) everyday without any results, who received her last check at the end of May, who didn’t get her last check because she was sent her last form by EDD that said to mailed it after the 6th of June which she did, but it received by EDD after June 12th and was then told she would not be receiving the check because of a deadline that she as not told about until after the fact.. Wow, no written notification that if it was received after a certain day she wouldn’t be able to get it, then was told to reapply for a new claim, which she did, but was denied…who is now packing up her house, because she can’t pay her bills, with no where to go, who can’t have BBQ for the 4th of July because she doesn’t have money to buy food, because you won’t pass the STUPID BILL because you feel that all UNEMPLOYED AMERICANS are lazy…you have the opportunity to save MILLIONS of AMERICANS. But you won‘t, it‘s to much like right. You all think the UNEMPLOYED are lazy in America!!! Shame, Shame, Shame!! Here’s what we do know and that is that you the Senators of America are out of touch with real people…and you all are looking for someone else to blame for the mistakes you all have made !!! But here’s a simple question to you all …Why BLAME the UNEMPLOYED? We didn’t create this problem…you did. Clean up the mess PASS THE BILL NOW!
Posted by: mymy1958 | July 1, 2010, 5:33 pm 5:33 pm
How about we take away all the congressional benefits and pay for unemployment benefits. Since the Republicans want unemployment funded, we can use all the congressional perks they receive to fund unemployment benefits. They will still be able to pay their mortgages, buy groceries, etc., with their salaries. They don’t any more than that to live on.
Posted by: dusty | July 1, 2010, 6:51 pm 6:51 pm
Actually, maybe someone should be looking into all the extra perks they receive and do a report. I’m not sure if any of them would be embarrassed; but, at least we would find out how much they do spend on themselves.
Posted by: dusty | July 1, 2010, 6:54 pm 6:54 pm
This is a good example why America is going down the toilet, first we exported all the jobs overseas and to Mexio in the name of more profit now we do not care about each other, we need to work together to get these politicians to work for the people and stop playing games with people lives !!
Posted by: Jonathan | July 1, 2010, 6:55 pm 6:55 pm
I can’t believe that the unemployment bill was not passed. I am a 38 year old single mother of 2 who just got out of a domestic violence shelter. I finally get on my feet and get a nice apartment and am working on now getting my car on the road and my unemployment benefits are going to be yanked??!! I have worked since I was 12 years old and this is the first time I have been laid off in my life. I just started collecting benefits 26 weeks ago and was just approved for my extension and now am told I only get one week of it!! What am I supposed to do now with no car to even drive to work?? Is that what the government wants – single mothers and domestic violence victims to go back to their abusers and be beat and mentally beat down just because they have no other options? Our government is a joke!!! Why don’t the rich politicians try to live in our shoes and wait on a vote to see whether or not they are going to survive?!! They are not just messing with our finances they are messing with our entire lives!!!
Posted by: Jenny | July 2, 2010, 2:50 pm 2:50 pm
What about the single parents of young children who have no other income? I am not a welfare recipient and I am definitely NOT LAZY. I want a job more than anything. I have been applying everywhere with not luck. First time being laid off and can’t even get one extension when I am trying my hardest to obtain work and better myself. Why don’t you keep better track of the individuals sucking the welfare system dry and the small business owners collecting welfare benefits and working for CASH at the same time. I can’t believe I am going through a divorce and can’t even get child support because my soon to be ex husband is now on Cash Welfare, foodstamps and medicaid while running a business and making a huge cash profit. He is using the system in a huge way and getting out of supporting his children at the same time while his wife and children are going to starve because the wife, a hardworking individual’s unemployment is being yanked. Since I have been on unemployment in the past I will not be eligible for food stamps, cash and not even Medicaid without a cash deductible for at least 60 days. In the meantime my husband sits back and collects every form of state benefits along with making tons of CASH money and doesn’t even have to support his kids because he is on Welfare. Government?, what a joke!!! Support the Welfare Fraud and take the Unemployment Benefits away from the hardworking honest Americans. Way to Go Politicians!!! Let the liars keep sucking the system dry!!! Government and Politicians?? You all make me sick!!!
Posted by: Jenny | July 2, 2010, 3:08 pm 3:08 pm
I was laid off in October 2009 and after searching for 2 months to find a job that would pay half the salary I was getting I decided to check into unemployments Section 30 training program. I was approved by the Dept of Workface in Massachusetts and promised that I would received unemployment benefits with extensions from both state and federal while in school to retrain. In May I was told that I would not longer be getting federal extensions. My options are become homeless and stay in school or drop out, get a job paying 1/2 of my old salary and stuck with a student loan with no career. I made a responsible decision after careful research and chose a career that would allow for economic downturns. How can you promise someone something and then take it back.
Posted by: Doreen | July 2, 2010, 9:19 pm 9:19 pm
Bottom line, we cant afford to give handouts, we are broke. Extending social programs never work. People have great intentions to use it for good, but the problem is they become comfortable, and then start depending on the government to take care of them instead of themselves. When people are hungry they will work, when they have to provide for a family they will do anything. There are plenty of jobs available but the problem is they dont pay a good wage they pay a wage that will make people appreciate the hard earned dollar. Today is a society about how much they can get with the least amount of work they can do. The times are going to change, we cant go on like this forever, Have you ever see someone spend there way out of debt by creating more debt? No you go bankrupt and loose everything!
Posted by: John | July 8, 2010, 12:24 am 12:24 am
I love how this country you need 60 votes out of 100 to pass a bill. my math must be off. they need to change the whole system imo.
Posted by: todd | July 12, 2010, 10:45 am 10:45 am
send more unemployment benefits for those who need it. people do pay taxes after all!!!
Posted by: marcus huiseman | July 19, 2010, 11:18 pm 11:18 pm