Senate Dems say jobless benefits bill on track

WASHINGTON (AP) — A measure to restore eligibility for the jobless to receive up to 99 weeks of unemployment checks appears on track despite objections from Republicans concerned about its $18 billion cost.

Democrats are also seeking to extend those benefits through Memorial Day instead of risking another cutoff in just three weeks.

The extension is needed, said Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., to give House-Senate negotiators more time to iron out a separate and more complicated bill to extend jobless benefits through the end of the year and revive expired tax breaks enjoyed by both individuals and businesses.

Democrats were counting on Sen. George Voinovich, R-Ohio, and perhaps one or two other Republicans to help the measure through a procedural thicket on today. Republicans are trying to derail the measure unless it is paid for with spending cuts from elsewhere in the $3.7 trillion federal budget.