Senate clears hurdle on way to extending jobless benefits

July 21, 2010 at 12:00a.m.

Associated Press

WASHINGTON

Senate Democrats broke through a stubborn Republican filibuster Tuesday and pressed to restart jobless benefits for 21/2 million Americans still unable to find work in the frail national economic recovery. The Democrats were victorious by the single vote of a new senator sworn in only moments earlier.

Senators voted 60-40 to move ahead on the bill, clearing the way for a final vote in the chamber today.

The recovery from the nation’s long and deep recession has produced relatively few new jobs so far, and millions of people’s unemployment benefits began running out seven weeks ago as Congress bogged down in an impasse over whether the $34 billion cost of a fresh extension of benefits should be paid for with budget cuts or be added to the $13 trillion national debt.

Democrats emphasized the plight of the unemployed and argued that putting money in the pockets of jobless families also would boost economic revival.

“This bill is about jobs because unemployment insurance goes to people who will spend it immediately,” said Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont. “That would increase economic demand. And that would help support our fragile economic recovery.”

But the numbers are far smaller than last year’s $862 billion stimulus legislation. Republicans have blocked Democratic add-ons, such as aid to state governments.

The economy has added 882,000 jobs so far this year — but many of those were only temporary positions as the federal government geared up to conduct the U.S. Census.

The filibuster-breaking vote came moments after Democrat Carte Goodwin was sworn in to succeed West Virginia Democrat Robert Byrd, who died last month at 92.

Goodwin was the crucial 60th senator needed to defeat the Republican filibuster.