Congressional inaction interrupts benefits for jobless

March 1, 2010 at 12:00a.m.

McClatchy Newspapers

WASHINGTON — Congress will approve legislation aimed at keeping certain jobless benefits, highway and transit money and other government programs funded, Sen. Jon Kyl, the Senate’s No. 2 Republican, said Sunday.

But the approval, if it comes today, will come only after several programs expired at midnight.

Congress has failed to extend them because of an objection by Sen. Jim Bunning, R-Ky. Bunning wants the $10 billion price offset by budget reductions.

The Senate is not expected to act until Tuesday at the earliest, which means as of this morning, certain extended jobless benefits will not be available. Neither will some highway or transit funds, small business loans or help for newly-laid off workers for their insurance premiums.

Kyl, though, told “Fox News Sunday,” flatly, “it will pass.”

The Arizona senator also sympathized with Bunning. Recently, Congress adopted “pay as you go” rules mandating in many cases, new programs must be paid for. So why, Bunning asked, if these extensions are so popular, can’t Congress find the money to fund them?

“Congress just passed the so-called pay-go legislation, which is supposed to require we find offsets or other savings if we’re going to spend money,” Kyl said. “And what’s the first thing we do? We exempt this bill from it.”

But he said it will pass, since it only extends the programs about a month. The Senate plans to begin work this week on a longer-term extension, which is expected to be controversial, or as Kyl put it, “a different issue.”

Democrats continued to express anger.

“Because of one senator’s irresponsible actions, over 61,000 Michigan workers will begin losing their unemployment benefits on Monday,” said Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich. “These workers and their families cannot afford to wait for help.”

Most people already getting extra jobless benefits are unlikely to be affected. Those who will feel the impact could include people who’ve exhausted their 26 weeks of state benefits and qualify for more aid under federal guidelines.

Anyone laid off after March 1 no longer would be able to get federal help to pay health-insurance premiums; the program now pays 65 percent of the cost for certain workers.

In other congressional business, the White House called for a “simple up-or-down” vote on health care legislation Sunday as Speaker Nancy Pelosi appealed to House Democrats to get behind President Barack Obama’s chief domestic priority even it if threatens their political careers.

In voicing support for a simple majority vote, White House health reform director Nancy-Ann DeParle signaled Obama’s intention to push the Democratic-crafted bill under Senate rules that would overcome GOP stalling tactics.