Senate Republicans killed a bill that would have extended benefits for those out of work for more than six months. The vote was 57-41, meaning a filibuster could not be avoided.
The rejected bill would also have provided $16 billion in new aid to states, preserving the jobs of thousands of state and local government workers and providing what White House officials called an insurance policy against a double-dip recession. It also included dozens of tax breaks sought by business lobbyists, and tax increases on domestically produced oil and on investment fund managers.
Two hundred thousand Americans a week will lose out on unemployment benefits. Failure to pass it also means governors will have to face budget cuts and state employees may lose jobs.
“This is a bill that would remedy serious challenges that American families face as a result of this Great Recession,” said Max Baucus, D-Mont., the chief author of the bill. “This is a bill that works to build a stronger economy. This is a bill to put Americans back to work.”
Ben Nelson of Nebraska voted with Republicans on the measure, and West Virginia’s Robert Byrd did not vote.
