Emergency Unemployment Benefits Extension HR3548

A New Blog "Unemployed Workers 4 Change"

2010-04-09T00:51:00.002-04:00

Hi Everyone!

I am sorry i have not been posting recently, I was trying to find a job and hopefully not be unemployed any longer, but that is not the case and even if it was, i am still so angry about what is happening with the unemployment situation that i just cant sit quietly anymore. Please carry over to the new blog any conversations and questions you have, join in discussions, share articles, lets get it up and going as fast as we can and as always please share the link with anyone else who is concerned about these issues. We do still want to keep the trolls out if possible so the same rules apply to the new one as the old one. We are here to help and support one another and anyone who disrespects others with be booted.

Thank you and look forward to hearing from you,

Alley

http://unemployedworkers4change.blogspot.com/

SEE EVERYONE IN FEBURARY WHEN CONGRESS IS TRYING TO EXTEND THE APPLICATION DATE FOR THE 4TH TIER (6 WEEKS)

2009-12-02T18:07:00.003-05:00

Carl is obviously a pessimist :) Anyone heard if they are actually working on that and HR 3404, AND if they plan any more extensions for those people on this last one.

They Finally Showed Me The Money!!!

2009-11-25T02:32:00.002-05:00

First payment received right around midnight. I'm gonna pay rent and get very much-needed front tires for my car. It's good to know that my baby will be safe while he's with me on road trips. So much to be thankful for. Bills will get paid and Thanksgiving and Christmas will be saved. God Bless you all and I hope you get your money very soon if you haven't received it already.

Filed My First Bi-Weekly Claim Yesterday Online!!!

2009-11-23T10:14:00.002-05:00

I have a few things to be thankful for this week. Enjoy the holiday with your families and friends.

NJ Specific question - for those who got the NJ Letter dated 11/9

2009-11-21T00:15:00.002-05:00

I got the initial letter on Monday, November 9, regarding the EUC extension, saying the day to certify is 11/25, etc.

In this letter it said "in the coming days you will receive a monetary determination letter that will explain your potential additional EUC benefits. You will also receive a separate certification notice with instructions on how to continue claiming EUC benefits"

I have yet to receive these additional letters - just wanted to check in to see if others have.

Facebook Badges

2009-11-19T15:28:00.002-05:00

Carl started something that is pretty cool If you want to put your facebook badge on the blog feel free. If you are not able to do that then please let me now and I will help you do it. We are always looking at the best possible ways to get information out to everyone with as few steps as possible. So any ideas or thoughts you may have and want to share please feel free to post here.

Jobless Benefits Set to Expire Unless Congress Acts

2009-11-18T12:53:00.002-05:00

Here is an article from today's New York Times. There will be additional articles to follow regarding the issues will the extension and the effects joblessness on the long term unemployed.

Below there are a few outtakes from the article, Please click on the title link to read the entire article.

"The record-long extension of emergency benefits that was hastily signed into law on Nov. 6 was widely praised as an essential lifeline for the hundreds of thousands of Americans who had spent a year or more in fruitless searches for jobs."

"But many legislators, state aid officials and struggling workers apparently failed to read the fine print. The added federal benefits, built on a series of previous extensions, are slated to end on Dec. 31; it was assumed that Congress would vote to prolong those programs. While discussions have started, Congress is not yet considering a specific proposal. And unless it acts before the Christmas break, officials warn, the extensions will end, leaving large numbers of workers with no coverage. If Congress, now caught up with the health care overhaul, delays action until next year, millions would still face painful gaps in aid."

Frist Payment Received

2009-11-17T14:07:00.002-05:00

Good Morning everyone!

To I collected from my account my first payment of the emergency extension! Yesterday I saw that the 14 week balance was transferred to my unemployment account.

I know there are states that are reporting that they still have not received the instructions from the USDOL and therefore they are not yet updating their computers, Tennessee is one of those states, at least as of Thursday last week. But there are a lot of states that have already started to make payments.

Please let us know what you know from your state office.

NELP Update on New Bill Issues

2009-11-13T13:48:00.001-05:00

Dear friends,

As many of you know, last week an additional UI extension of 14-20 weeks was passed by Congress after much delay and signed into law by President Obama on Friday, November 6^th. These additional extensions were contained in H.R. 3548 (The Worker, Homeownership, and Business Assistance Act of 2009).

The bill guarantees an additional 14 weeks of Emergency Unemployment Compensation to all states, regardless of their unemployment rates. These additional extensions will be available to workers who have already run out of their federal benefits available to them (both Emergency Unemployment Compensation and Extended Benefits, where available). Additionally, workers who exhaust their federal benefits between now and the end of the year will also be eligible for these additional extensions. Individuals receiving federal extended benefits at the end of the year will be "grandfathered in" and permitted to finish the Tier of benefits they were collecting before January 2010.

The bill provides an extra 6 weeks of Emergency Unemployment Compensation to workers in states with unemployment rates over 8.5%. There is some confusion about the delivery of these benefits to workers in February 2010 after they exhaust the new 14 week extension. It is true that the payment of these benefits depends on further renewal of all extensions provided for under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act by Congress for 2010, but this action is widely anticipated before workers will face the end of the new 14 week extension. Likewise, this same Congressional action is needed for workers who will exhaust either their regular state benefits or current extensions after the end of 2009.

You can find more information about how this extension affects your benefits, as well as what is available in your state, by checking out our press release and fact sheet. The fact sheet explains that benefits will be payable for weeks of unemployment starting this week, but states are likely to take several weeks to set up the programming needed to start the flow of benefits.

NELP Explains the New Bill and how it works

2009-11-10T12:37:00.002-05:00

Here is the link for NELP's explanation of how the bill HR3548 works and how it effects the collecting beneifts. Please click on the link to read the 8 page explanation. This should resolve the questions you have or at least help clarify some of them.

Please remember there is still a lot we need to pay attention to in the up coming months. HR3404, HR3149 as well as several other issues that have been raised.

Alley

HR. 1 "ARRA OF 2009" Became Law 02/17/2009

2009-11-10T01:01:00.008-05:00

PAGES (322 - 331) TITLE II—ASSISTANCE FOR UNEMPLOYED
WORKERS AND STRUGGLING

Click on Title "ARRA OF 2009" for bill (Bill in pdf)

Rules for Bills pertaining to EUCs passed into law between signing of ARRA of 2009 and before 01/01/2010.
Those that think you can't collect after 12/31/2009 if you ARE collecting ANY EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation)
Those that are not collecting before 01/01/2010 of ANY EUC.
And a lot more for those that just want more information . Go for it, read the whole bill and those mentioned in it :)

HR 3404 that is in the "House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee" for one is to extend the dates of ARRA of 2009 for those that have NOT collected these EUCs or some of them, depending on the final language of HR 3404, if and when passed. (Not likely this year)

I have repeatedly said some of your questions are answers in THIS bill.
I hope you find what you need, and go ahead, don't limit yourself to just these pages.

Carl

NY Jobless Benefits

2009-11-08T21:05:00.001-05:00

msnbc. com answered the question as to what is happening in NY state with the new benefits extension.

"The plan adds 14 weeks of benefits; workers living in states where the unemployment rate is above 8.5 percent get an additional six weeks of benefits for a total of 20 extra weeks of benefits. (The most recent figures put New York's jobless rate at 8.7 percent, putting the state into the 20-week category.)"

To read the whole article click on the title

Are You Interested in Telling Your Story?

2009-11-06T20:03:00.002-05:00

Hello Everyone!

I would like to know if anyone would like to tell their story for a documentary? If you are interested please email me and let me know. i can send you my cell phone number or you can send me yours and I will call you. We are looking for people who are considered long term unemployed, who are interested in telling your story about how this economic crisis and job lose has affected you and your family. You can email me at alleywishes@gmail.com

Alley

One Last Article (From me, not for this Blog)

2009-11-06T14:31:00.004-05:00

(Turning off C-Span is harder than one would think)

FYI, going forward, keep your eyes on Rep. Jim McDermott, who is saying he wants to stop with the piece meal thing and just extend benefits to end of 2010!

http://progressillinois.com/2009/11/6/obama-signs-ui-extension

So, good news in less of what we all just went through, and bad news, since that seems to show they do not think there will be any jobs anytime soon.

Ack.

GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks for the Memories ;)

2009-11-06T13:48:00.002-05:00

OK, now that this is signed, TV is no longer turned to C-Span all day, and I am just waiting for the actual check.....time to reclaim some semblance of a life. Thanks to those who posted good clear info and links, thanks for those that asked the right questions. I wish you all the very very best, know many of us learned something on this journey, and hopefully NONE of us will be worrying quite so hard about the "next extension" since we will all have fabulous jobs by then.

All the best, and "Adios mis amigos!!"

"JG"

PS - I just posted 'official" info on the NJ claim process under the thread about 'getting checks out' about when we need to claim in NJ. In NJ, our first claim date is 11/25.

PRESIDENT OBAMA SIGNS EMERGENCY UNEMPLOYMENT EXTENSION BILL HR 3548

2009-11-06T12:46:00.001-05:00

Click on title to see video of speech!

Retroactive Eligibility for New Emergency Benefits

2009-11-06T11:55:00.002-05:00

I just spoke with California Gigi, her concern was with the wording used by CA on their website regarding benefits and whether or not they would be eligible if they have already run out of benefits. There has also been a few articles that are circulating regarding this issue. To be clear, payments are not retroactive, however eligibility for benefits is retroactive. Again, there will not be retro payments for weeks you had no money in your unemployment accounts BUT you are eligible for benefits under the new bill due to retroactive eligibility!

Here is a portion of a letter I received from one of the NELP attorneys clarifying this issue.

Retroactive Pay:

The new bill allows for retroactive eligibility, but not retroactive pay. Retroactive eligibility means that people who exhausted their benefits prior to the passage of the bill are still covered. However these people will not be entitled to a lump sum payment when the bill is passed. The major reason retroactive payment is not in this bill is that we just cannot afford it. If there was any way for us to be pushing for retroactive pay we definitely would do so. We understand people out there are hurting and right now the main thing is to get this bill passed so we can help those in dire need as soon as possible.

I hope this clears things up for everyone. We of course are still waiting to find out all the details of the bill as to what is the first week for these benefits, but once the bill is enacted people who are currently out of benefits will start receiving benefits in accordance with their states. All states will get 14 weeks with 6 additional weeks available to the states with an unemployment rate of 8.5% and above.

TEXAS

2009-11-06T10:59:00.002-05:00

Unemployed Jersey Girl wrote:

I wasn't sure where to put this comment. As we wait for our unemployment benefits, there are people at Mt. Hood, TX mourning over the unfortunate incident that took place yesterday. Let's all keep them in ours prayers. Our problems are minimal compared to what they must be going through.

So I started a new post for this topic. It is true, for as bad as things are for us, there are people who are suffering far worse than we are right now.

House Members who voted "NO"

2009-11-05T23:54:00.006-05:00

Michael C. Burgess	R	TX-26
Paul Broun	R	GA-10
Jeff Flake	R	AZ-6
Trent Franks	R	AZ-2
Scott Garrett	R	NJ-5
John Linder	R	GA-7
Tom McClintock	R	CA-4
Ron Paul	R	TX-14
Tom Price	R	GA-6
George P. Radanovich	R	CA-19
John Shadegg	R	AZ-3
Steve Scalise	R	LA-1

http://politics.nytimes.com/congress/votes/111/house/1/859

Yup...that includes MY REP, Scott Garrett, who voted yes last time. You know a nasty letter is itching to fly out of the tips of my fingertips. When is he up for re-election anyway? How do I find out???

Gathering of Info On When Checks Will Start to Go Out

2009-11-05T15:18:00.004-05:00

As you get info from various states about how soon people will start to see this money, please post the info to this thread, indicating what state the info pertains to. Thanks!

POTUS speaking about unemployment rate and signing of the bill as well as Fort Hood incident.

http://cspan.org/Watch/Media/2009/11/06/HP/R/25556/New+Labor+figures+show+rise+in+unemployment+to+102.aspx

(Update, expect Friday morning signing) Well, no Obama-Cam so...

2009-11-05T14:37:00.002-05:00

...how do we find out when Obama signs this? Just wait for news stories? IS there someplace we can call??

HR 3548 As It Is Written and Passed

2009-11-05T14:25:00.005-05:00

Here is the link to the actual bill. You can go down and read each of the sections of the bill. It lists the Second Tier and Third Tier benefits and everything else separately. I am going to start working through it but if someone else can also read through for the answers as to who it will help, please do so.

C-Span Withdrawels...

2009-11-05T14:25:00.003-05:00

OK, so no reason to state at C-Span or C-Span2 any more.

I feel like I have done little but in 6 weeks. I am holding the remote and don't know what to do.

UPDATED TO PASSED PASSED PASSED ((Now! Now! Now!))

2009-11-05T12:38:00.002-05:00

House has begun debate.

Unemployment Claims Slide

2009-11-05T10:54:00.002-05:00

Initial filings for jobless benefits fall by 20,000 to 512,000 in latest week, less than forecast.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- The number of Americans filing for initial unemployment insurance fell last week, the government said Thursday, with a total figure that was below analysts' expectations.

There were 512,000 initial job claims filed in the week ended Oct. 31, down 20,000 from a revised 532,000 the previous week, the Labor Department said in a weekly report.

A consensus estimate of economists surveyed by Briefing.com expected 522,000 new claims.

The 4-week moving average of initial claims was 523,750, down 3,000 from the previous week's revised average of 526,750.

For full article click on title link

The House on C-Span

2009-11-05T10:29:00.002-05:00

Good Morning!

Wow, One Minute Speeches, you gotta love it after listening to weeks and weeks of the same things being said over and over again for hours at a time.

So, today looks like the day! right?

Did you hear the GREAT news?

2009-11-05T00:17:00.000-05:00

On The House Calendar for Thursday!

2009-11-04T20:42:00.000-05:00

http://majorityleader.gov/links_and_resources/whip_resources/dailyleader.cfm?pressreleaseID=3549

First of 6 bills listed under "Suspensions"

Suspensions (6 Bills)

Senate Amendments to H.R. 3548 - Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2009 (Rep. McDermott – Ways and Means)

SHOW ME THE MONEYYYYYY!!!!!!!!

2009-11-04T20:39:00.000-05:00

Sorry, but I felt that it was necessary :)

SENATE PASSES HR 3548 EMERGENCY UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS EXTENSION

2009-11-04T17:29:00.002-05:00

Reid's Office Confirming 90% Chance of the Final Vote This Evening.

2009-11-04T17:14:00.002-05:00

Just called Reid's office, she told me that there is a 90% chance the bill will go to the floor for a vote tonight!

90% Chance

Senate Ready to Vote on HR3548 to Pass Bill

2009-11-04T16:28:00.001-05:00

The Senate is preparing to vote on the bill to pass so it can be sent to the House.

LAST CHANCE TO BET ON THE VOTE ON THE LAST CLOTURE VOTE

2009-11-04T12:03:00.001-05:00

ELECTION RESULTS-11/04/2009 - BE THOUGHTFUL TO OTHER'S OPINIONS

2009-11-04T09:14:00.002-05:00

Good Quote from House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer

2009-11-04T00:23:00.002-05:00

Yes, I swore off this topic, but I can't sleep so I looked for anything that indicated how quickly the House could take this up.

Found this article:

Still Stalling on Unemployment Insurance Extension

http://washingtonindependent.com/66377/still-stalling-on-unemployment-insurance-extension

Pertinent portion:

The next stop would be the House, which passed a different unemployment bill in September. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) said Tuesday that chamber leaders will take up the Senate bill as soon as it arrives from the upper chamber.

“Why they had to wait a week to get the vote is beyond me,” Hoyer told reporters. “Having said that, we will consider the UI when it comes over.”

There was also this article:

Rep Hoyer: House To Take Up Jobless Benefits Bill

http://www.easybourse.com/bourse/actualite/rep-hoyer-house-to-take-up-jobless-benefits-bill-755023

In part:

A top House Democrat said Tuesday that legislation extending federal unemployment insurance benefits will be brought up by the House for a vote shortly after it is passed by the Senate.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, (D., Md.) said at a weekly press conference that the legislation extending the benefits is a "critically important issue" and said the House will take it up as soon as possible.

Hoyer said two additions to the bill in the Senate to extend a home buyers' tax credit and open a one-off window for all businesses to write off losses incurred in the past two years against profits earned in earlier years would likely be acceptable to House lawmakers.

"I would prefer they did not do the changes they had affected, but they did, and I think they will be acceptable," Hoyer said.

If anyone has the time and ability to make a call tomorrow, Majority Leader Hoyer can be reached at:

1705 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
Phone - (202) 225-4131
Fax - (202) 225-4300

Maybe someone can get some clarification on what "shortly after" really means to us. Ok, with that, I am REALLY taking tomorrow off! Good luck everyone :)

Reid says Republicans Are Still Stalling Today

2009-11-03T14:10:00.001-05:00

Reid on C-Span talking about Unemployment benefits now after the lunch. He says the Republicans are still stalling even now, even though only 2 votes were against the cloture vote last night.

Interesting Recent Articles

2009-11-03T13:34:00.003-05:00

Another Cloture Vote Required for Unemployment Benefits Extension?
http://progressillinois.com/2009/11/3/another-cloture-vote-ui

Senate to Vote on Jobless Relief
http://www.detnews.com/article/20091103/POLITICS03/911030365/1020/Senate-to-vote-on-jobless-relief

Economic Relief Bill Heads to Senate
http://www.cbs19.tv/Global/story.asp?S=11433349

Election Day

2009-11-03T11:05:00.002-05:00

Today is election day and there are a few states with candidates who are in a dead heat. NJ and VA are two such states. Please keep us posted as to what is happening in your state with regards to the election today.

Last Week's Email Upate from NELP

2009-11-03T01:08:00.002-05:00

As I have posted before I have been talking on a regular basis with one of the Attorneys from NELP. She calls or emails me updates as she get them. I have emailed her tonight to ask her to let me know what she learns about all this in tomorrow's morning meeting. For now, here is last week's update she sent me.

I just spoke with one of NELP’s contacts in Washington and I just wanted to update you.

After last night's overwhelming vote for cloture, there will be more negotiations in order to try to get the minority on board with the bill. It is important to have the minority on board so the bill can pass very quickly. If this small minority holds out, it could take until the end of next week to get the bill passed. If they can't reach an agreement, Senator Reid will move to get the bill passed as quickly as possible without the minority vote.

Since the Senate's version of the bill is different than the House bill, the bill must go back to the House and be approved there. If the Senate can pass the bill tomorrow, then the House can consider the bill on Tuesday or Wednesday. If the Senate does not pass the bill until next week, then the House will consider the bill on the following Tuesday or Wednesday. Right now the most we can do is continue to demand that our respective Senators to take urgent action.

Retroactive Pay:

The new bill allows for retroactive eligibility, but not retroactive pay. Retroactive eligibility means that people who exhausted their benefits prior to the passage of the bill are still covered. However these people will not be entitled to a lump sum payment when the bill is passed. The major reason retroactive payment is not in this bill is that we just cannot afford it. If there was any way for us to be pushing for retroactive pay we definitely would do so. We understand people out there are hurting and right now the main thing is to get this bill passed so we can help those in dire need as soon as possible.
Best,
Andriette Roberts

Pro Bono Attorney
National Employment Law Project
75 Maiden Lane, Suite 601
New York, NY 10038
Tel: (212) 285-3025
www.nelp.org

News Coverage 11/3/09

2009-11-03T00:31:00.002-05:00

After sorting through hundreds of articles, here are a few that have some interesting info, not just the same old blahblah

Jobless benefits may be extended

http://www.projo.com/business/content/benefits_extension_11-03-09_9HGAQRE_v7.398758e.html

Discusses how it is expected to move through the House (bypassing the committee that would normally form since the House has pretty much rubber stamped the version the Senate plans to send over).

In part:

Ordinarily, a congressional conference committee would have to form and sort through differences between the Senate and House bills. But there are plans for the House to consider and approve a measure that is identical to the current Senate bill, Reed said. This would allow the measure to move quickly to the White House, allowing for enactment later this month, Reed said.

Also, for those from Rhode Island, this should make you happy:

The state Department of Labor and Training is preparing to implement the measure once it is enacted, Filippone said. “We’ve already started to do the programming,” he said. “So, once the bill is passed and signed, we will be all set to go.” The agency plans to mail letters to everybody who has exhausted their benefits, he said. The letter would include a form they would have to complete and return to apply for extended benefits, he said.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1109/29054.html

Senate eyes jobless aid, home credit

Interestingly, more headlines include the home tax credit issue than unemployment. Sort of annoying. This one at least led with the unemployment issue. As with the vast majority of the stories, predictions are that this passes this week, though no one is being tied to a definite date.

In part:

Ending weeks of delay, all but two Republicans joined Democrats on an 85-2 roll call to cut off debate. Procedural obstacles remain, but passage this week appears all but certain. The House is expected to take up the measure next and send it on to President Barack Obama for his signature.

and last, I felt like I needed a shower after reading "news" from this web site, but I am trying to get into teh Republican mind, lol

http://www.rightsidenews.com/200911037118/border-and-sovereignty/us-legislative-immigration-update-november-2-2009.html

From "Right Side News, the Right News for America"

Sen. Reid Blocks Sen. Sessions' E-Verify Amendment to Unemployment Extension Bill

Under legislative updates, in discussing the virtues of E-Verify, in part:

This past week, undeterred by Congress' previous failure to permanently extend E-Verify, Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL) again took to the Senate floor to fight for American workers and to protect American jobs..... The Sessions amendment will ensure that available jobs would go to American citizens and legal immigrants.

Unfortunately, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) filed a motion to cut off debate (i.e., invoke cloture) on the unemployment compensation extension bill without first allowing the Senate to vote on the Sessions amendment. The Senate agreed to Reid's "cloture motion," effectively stalling any forward momentum on the Sessions amendment. (Roll Call Vote #329, October 27, 2009). The Senate is expected to vote on final passage of the legislation sometime this week.

So basically, this is how they were trying to tie immigration to the unemployment bill - those IMMIGRANTS are taking our jobs. I personally think this E-Verify system causes more harm than good, but at least I get the connectiong they were *trying* to make to jobs

Other than that, as far as a possibility of one last stall, or the cloture time not running the entire 30 hours, no one is taking a strong stance on way or another....so....as always....stay tunedddddddddddddddd

Say what?

2009-11-02T20:15:00.002-05:00

Read bold portion.....um...HUH????????????

http://www.capitolhillreports.com/110209.htm

Unemployment Extension Nears Finish Line in Senate
Monday, November 2, 2009 6:15 PM

The Senate today voted 85 to 2 to end debate on a substitute amendment to the House-passed Unemployment Compensation Extension Act (H.R. 3548) that would provide up to 14 additional weeks of emergency unemployment benefits for all 50 states and another six weeks -- for a total of 20 weeks -- of benefits for states where unemployment is 8.5 percent or higher. As passed by the House, H.R. 3548 would provide a 13-week extension for only 27 states that are experiencing unemployment rates at or above 8.5 percent.

The Senate substitute package, drafted by Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT) and backed by Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), also contains language based on a proposal by Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-GA) that would extend and expand the first-time homebuyer tax credit. Specifically, the provision would continue the $8,000 first-time homebuyer credit through April 30, 2010, and allow a $6,500 credit for homebuyers who have lived in their current residences for five years or more.

The substitute legislation also would allow U.S. companies of every size to carry back net operating losses incurred in either 2008 or 2009 against income earned in any of the five prior years (limited to 50 percent of companies' income in the fifth year).

Inclusion of the tax breaks did not placate all Senate Republicans, however, as some continued to argue that the Democratic leadership was obstructing their right to offer amendments. "If we are really going to act like the Senate... Then we need to stop this," said Sen. Mike Johanns (R-NE), referring to Reid's procedural move last week to "fill the amendment tree."

Baucus countered that most Americans are more concerned about jobs than parliamentary procedure. "This amendment would help to speed the recovery from the Great Recession," Baucus said. "It would help to improve our economy, and it would help the American people."

While the unemployment benefits extension is fully paid for via an extension of the federal unemployment tax, the homebuyer tax credit and "carryback" provisions are partially offset by delaying implementation of a tax break for multinational corporations with respect to worldwide allocation of interest, and increasing the penalty for failure to file a partnership or S corporation tax return.

Today's vote has all but cleared the way for Senate passage this week, although Republicans are expected to force another "cloture vote" on the underlying bill, a move that would push a final vote to later in the week. Once the Senate clears its substitute legislation, the House could agree to the Senate's changes and subsequently send the bill to President Obama's desk. Otherwise, the two chambers would have to negotiate a final version by means of a conference committee.

**********

ANOTHER cloture vote may be needed????????? Say wha?????????????????

It's like one step forward, then lie down and take a nap

2009-11-02T18:37:00.001-05:00

Why exactly was I looking forward to this vote today?

*eyeroll*

I am beginning to wonder if I will get a check before Christmas.

Where do I send my resume??

2009-11-02T12:56:00.004-05:00

Obama's 'overriding focus:' Jobs

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/theoval/post/2009/11/620000818/1

Glad to see the "big picture" issue is coming into focus....because 14/20 weeks can FLY by and then what?

According to the article he has put together a "recovery board" with 20 members (if you include admin staff). Once I have the energy to look up a way to contact these individuals I am going to write them individual letters, speaking not only of job creation, but also about the pending bill regarding doing away with credit checks for but pertinent positions.

Good article, give it a read!! Sadly, there is no link to be able to send my resume to them for a custom-created job. Drat!

Another poll?

2009-11-02T00:25:00.002-05:00

What will the vote be @ 5 pm tonight? The first cloture vote (to proceed) was what, 87-13?

I am going to roll the dice and say......a few more will vote for it.....92-8!

Next!

New Bill to Support - HR 3149!!

2009-10-31T22:00:00.008-04:00

...and I think we should take it up as our next cause!!

http://www.thebackgroundinvestigator.com/current_issue/index.asp?id=1161

STATES WEIGH LIMITS ON CREDIT CHECKS FOR EMPLOYMENT

Do a few bad marks on your credit file make you a poor job candidate?
A handful of state and national law makers are saying "no." And they want to make sure that employers can't use credit as a litmus test for hiring.
Two states have already banned the practice, several more are considering it, and one Congressional committee is weighing a bill that would address the issue on a national basis.
"This is the tip of a very large iceberg," says Jay Stanley, privacy expert with the ACLU.
....

Recently, U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen of Tennessee sponsored the "Equal Employment for All Act," a national bill that would bar employers from using credit reports in hiring or promotions.
In researching the bill, Cohen and his staffers discovered that many of the credit-challenged were "young people, seniors, minorities and divorced women," says Steven Broderick, the congressman's communications director.
The bill (HR 3149), would ensure that "employers could not use a person's credit history against them," Broderick says. The bill has been sent to the House Financial Services Committee for consideration.

Don't know what everyone's situation is here....but I can tell you that several years back, after a less than amicable break up left my credit tarnished, I WAS turned down for a job - after making it through four rounds of interviews, calls to all the references I listed, computer testing, etc. Managed to get it back on track, and then I lost my job March 2008.

Twenty months later, I don't even want to RUN my credit report. Until this past month I paid my basics on time or early - rent, utilities, car insurance. Credit cards, etc - they got what I could pay, when I could pay it. Now, with no check for almost a month, and who knows how long it will take for NJ to disperse funds, I am certain the report is not painting a rosy picture. And THAT makes it that much more difficult to get a job - after putting out gas/toll money to go on interviews, they run the infamous credit report, and since I did not have a trust fund to ride out the past 2 years, I get the lovely rejection letter in the mail.

Read the article on the bill - it does have some exceptions, like upper management or people with access to money, but for most of us, I agree with Mr. Mendoza, and I would love to see more states pass this (or even the US Congress...I am sure they could work something out)

Opinions/thoughts?

Yeah, OK, let me get right on that!

2009-10-31T21:29:00.003-04:00

So, I have my invite to my Corzine for Governor rally tomorrow (NJ) - Obama scheduled to appear.

Got an email letting me know what I CAN take in (cameras, invitation, ID) and what I can't (bags, umbrellas, liquids, strollers, signs).

Then they let me know they are doing a food drive - they would like everyone attending to bring a few items to be distributed to NJ food pantries. Uh.....I ate my last packet of Ramen, sorry, I have nothing to give. However, if you don't mind, I would LOVE to pick up a bag of stuff on the way OUT!! Think I should ask them????

Place Your Bets!!

2009-10-31T11:54:00.004-04:00

When will the Senate finally vote and send this to the House?

A - Monday Night?
B - Tuesday Afternoon?
C - Tuesday Midnight?
D - Sometime Wednesday?
E - McConnell & Kyl have plans to blow up the Senate building to avoid the vote!

Here is one article that seems to think there is hope for Monday night

http://www.examiner.com/x-19285-Chicago-Economic-Policy-Examiner~y2009m10d30-Unemployment-benefit-extension-delayed-one-more-time

Also explains "The cloture filing fills the tree on the substitute amendment, meaning that Republican amendments on the floor will be prohibited."

My Vote............... E

OK, maybe not BLOW IT UP, but maybe set off the sprinklers so they all have to run outside.

REALLY?!?!?!?!?

2009-10-30T16:05:00.008-04:00

This is the kind of BS we are all up against. Democrat or Republican, we all deserve to be told the truth.

Stimulus saved, created 650,000 jobs, gov't claims

The Following Article is no BS

An Article About One Of Our Friends Here Barbara C Click Here to Read

The Unemployed and the Rising Price of Gas

2009-10-30T14:33:00.004-04:00

I took this photo earlier this year. The lowest price I saw this year was $1.29 per gallon and that was in the end of January this year.

Below is just one story about an issue that just makes matters worse when you are trying to find a job. Last year the price of gas went through the roof, then something pretty amazing happened, the price dropped severely in a very short time. Once again we were told how another one of the problems caused by the Bush administration. Once again we are faced with the rising price of gas.

Please use this thread to write your thoughts, stories, share the prices you are currently facing, and stories regarding the issues with the price of gas. For one, it surely makes job searching a lot harder. With limited funds and the devastation already caused by the length of time we have been without benefits and jobs, we are all way behind with our bills, what are the effects of high gas prices on your job search and possibilities?

Crude prices near $80 again; retail gas up again
By MARK WILLIAMS (AP) – 22 hours ago
Oil prices rose sharply Thursday on new signs that the U.S. economy has rebounded, though crude levels globally continue to grow and there are few signs that actual demand for it has increased significantly.
The dollar fell once again, a factor throughout the year as crude hovers around $80 per barrel and a big reason why motorists have watched gasoline prices rise steadily for more than two weeks.
The average retail price for a gallon of gasoline is now less than a penny below highs reached during the U.S. driving season.
Benchmark crude for December delivery rose $2.41 to settle at $79.87 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.
The Commerce Department said Thursday that the economy grew at a 3.5 percent pace in the third quarter, the best showing in two years, fueled by government-supported spending on cars and homes. The report delivered the strongest signal yet that the economy entered a new, though fragile, phase of recovery and that the worst recession since the 1930s has ended.
"Any sort of encouragement with the economy is potentially bullish for oil," said oil trader and analyst Stephen Schork.
At the same time, global oil companies have reported that crude production grew during the quarter and American Electric Power, one of the nation's biggest utilities, said Thursday that electricity demand from industrial customers remains weak, but is showing signs of picking up.
Since last week, crude has retreated from $82 a barrel, the high for 2009, as the U.S. dollar gained back some of its losses from recent months.
Oil is largely bought and sold in dollars, which allows investors holding currencies like the euro or yen to buy more crude when the dollar falls.
When crude began rising in the middle of the month, gasoline prices that averaged less than $2.50 per gallon at the time began to tag along.
Pump prices rose for the 16th straight day Thursday, climbing 0.8 cents to $2.691 a gallon, according to AAA, Wright Express and Oil Price Information Service. That is 21.4 cents higher than a month ago and 10.2 cents higher than a year ago.
In other Nymex trading, heating oil rose 5.73 cents to settle at $2.0542 a gallon. Gasoline for November delivery added 3.26 cents to settle at $2.019 a gallon. Natural gas for December delivery gave up less than a penny to settle at $5.062 per 1,000 cubic feet.
In London, Brent crude for December delivery rose $2.18 to settle at $78.04 on the ICE Futures exchange.
Associated Press writers Pablo Gorondi in Budapest and Alex Kennedy in Singapore contributed to this report.
Copyright © 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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Reid's statements this morning on C-Span

2009-10-30T13:02:00.003-04:00

http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/289714-1

Time stamp 10:02 am - 10:05 am (ET)

No roll call votes today, next will be 5 pm Monday for HR 3548
Two amendments are attached: Homebuyer tax credit & Loss Carryback
House WILL accept it with those two amendments and wil pass it as early as Tuesday, and the POTUS will sign
IF Republicans still want to stall (ie, demand their 30 hours) then Senate may not vote until "sometime Tuesday night"
Did not indicate what a Tuesday night (or Wednesday morning) vote would mean as far as House timing.

So if the Republicans want to get some sleep Tuesday night, maybe they won't insist on their 30 hours, and the HOUSE WILL VOTE TUESDAY. I feel like I can almost breathe.

Don't forget time change this weekend, they get an extra hour to sleep Saturday night, lol

We Are On Track (sadly we took the local not the express)

2009-10-30T12:26:00.001-04:00

Vote on unemployment extension pushed to Monday

http://michiganmessenger.com/29143/vote-on-unemployment-extension-pushed-to-monday

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate will vote Monday evening on legislation extending unemployment benefits — a procedural vote that could clear the way for final passage as early as late Tuesday, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) just announced. The bill has been held up for weeks as party leaders have tangled over amendments, procedureand probably their picks in the World Series.

Monday’s cloture vote won’t pass the bill, but only ends the GOP filibuster, allowing the staging of the final vote. Senate rules dictate, however, that 30 hours must pass between the cloture vote and that on final passage — meaning that, absent a deal, the Senate can’t pass the bill much sooner than midnight on Tuesday.

Reid said the bill will include only two additional amendments: A tax credit for homebuyers, and a tax benefit allowing businesses to recoup taxes they paid in recent profitable years.

If an agreement is struck between the parties, all of this could change at any time.

Tsk Tsk Senator Kyl!!

2009-10-30T12:20:00.005-04:00

If this goes to show you that those impassioned democratic speeches to empty rooms were not hitting the ears of the republicans, doncha think?

Jon Kyl Says Unemployment Benefits Haven't Run Out ...

http://www.alternet.org/blogs/politics/143598/jon_kyl_says_unemployment_benefits_haven't_run_out_..._they_have/

In part (but go read the whole thing, it's good):

Moments ago, Sen. Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) took to the chamber floor with a strange claim about the urgency surrounding legislation to extend unemployment insurance.

“The benefits haven’t run out yet,” Kyl said. “We’re going to pass this before the benefits run out.”

And in case anyone doubts that the Republicans are holding a gun to the heads of the unemployed purely for political purposes, put them away:

Kyl claimed that Democrats are to blame for stalling legislation to extend unemployment benefits because party leaders are resisting consideration of several unrelated GOP amendments.
“We could have been done with this bill 24 hours ago,” Kyl said. “We didn’t ask for the delay.”

FrontLine "Close To Home"

2009-10-29T21:55:00.003-04:00

Frontline did a story on the issue of unemployment. Its great to watch. Its done in NYC's upper Eastside. They talk about the filling out of online applications and how they are received by companies and how they just get kicked if there is one thing wrong. Lots of great info. Not sure if its online, but it should be.

On C-Span at the Close of the Day, a Cloture Motion to Bring the Bill to the Floor for a Vote Next Week

2009-10-29T19:51:00.003-04:00

Are we watching Cspan? Reid is dealing with the bill! Cloturing the bill with only the three amendments.

GOP Sets Up More Roadblocks To Unemployment Benefits Extension

2009-10-29T19:17:00.002-04:00

http://progressillinois.com/2009/10/29/gop-adds-new-roadblocks-to-ui-extension

Almost two days after the H.R. 3548 survived its first cloture vote, there has been no major movement on the bill that would extend unemployment insurance for Americans who have exhausted their benefits. Why? Republicans keep throwing up new procedural barriers.

After reaching a bipartisan agreement to include an amendment extending the first-timehomebuyer's tax credit, Senate Republicans agreed today to drop their efforts to weigh down the legislation with controversial amendments regarding ACORN and the E-Verify program. In exchange, they've turned to a new form of obstruction: demanding a vote on two new controversial amendments. The first would speed up the expiration date for the Troubled Asset Relief Program (a non-starter for Democrats who point out that a sunset date for the bank bailouts is already written into law). The second is yet another attempt to change to the way the extension is funded, by using "unspent" stimulus money, rather than the federal unemployment surtax, which amounts to 0.2 percent tax on the initial $7,000 of employees' wages.

As we've discussed before, funding an extension through the surtax is a sound strategy. After all, unemployment benefits have been extended so frequently over the past 30 years, many businesses have already budgeted for it. And it's not exactly a hefty expense, costing employers, on average, an extra $14 per employee annually. The GOP opposition is nothing more than petty politics.

Until those details can be ironed out, the legislation will stay lodged in the upper chamber. And every day that it does, another 350 Illinois families will exhaust their benefits.

Dear Sen. Reid, Could you BE less clear?

2009-10-29T18:07:00.002-04:00

OK, so no votes today.

Not in session again til Monday, but they WILL have a vote on Monday at 5:30-6:00.

He said that is so it will be done by midnight Tuesday.

....though, you know, they COULD work something out.

All I can figure out is.....he will invoke cloture before closing today. Friday will count as the "dead" day (is that possible if they are not in session? I can't remember anymore). Monday they vote by 6 pm. 30 hours run. They vote at midnight Tuesday (which please, will never happen).

So, IF all that occurs, could it go to the House on Wednesday still?

There is your answer to what now....

2009-10-29T16:00:00.003-04:00

More of the same.

And...what NOW?

What Now?

2009-10-29T13:53:00.001-04:00

Does anyone know what is going on, or what is coming next? It seems that someone is asleep at the wheel in the Senate.... Everything but Unemployment Extension is being discussed.

Never Again. My Solution.

2009-10-29T13:30:00.002-04:00

So fed up. Dems, Repubs, just fed up. Just ordered books from the library about obtaining dual citizenship and moving to Costa Rica. Private health insurance is available for $250 a year. Brand new condos for rent (including cable, high speed internet, electricity, water) for $400 a month. Or you can buy a small 2 BR oceanfront condo for $40K. They have no army. There is summer all year round. Why the F am I sitting in NJ watching C-Span? Once there are jobs I will work three for the next few years so I can just skip town and go live in the tropics, kayaking and surfing.

Who is in?

Today in The News

2009-10-29T12:36:00.002-04:00

Would Senate vote on unemployment extensions discourage job seekers in Michigan? Or prevent a far worse fate?

AP Photo | Carlos Osorio
Men wait outside a staffing agency office last week in southwest Detroit. An expected Senate vote on extending unemployment benefits is generating debate among readers.

I've touched a nerve with readers.

A post I did Wednesday about how an expected U.S. Senate vote to extend unemployment benefits by as much as 20 weeks could help many residents whose benefits will soon expire in Michigan went off the charts, becoming my most-read single post by a long shot.

It's not entirely surprising; there are an estimated 450,000 residents currently receiving unemployment insurance benefits in the state, and Michigan's jobless rate was highest among states for September at 15.3 percent. The state is also running up a debt that was $2.8 billion as of Oct. 23 as it borrows from the federal government to pay out benefits.

Readers weren't shy about making their feelings known. Many likened unemployment benefits to "band-aids."

"Please do not extended the unemployment benefits. Its time to rip the band-aid off and let the real healing begin," read a common sentiment from willmiller82.

But "We're in the worst time since the Depression," wrote Mrs. Smith. "It's okay to bail out a bank so they can screw up the money and give out big bonuses, but God forbid the average person who's been laid-off through no fault of their own (and) needs help. Then it's time to rip the band-aid off."

"Remember, the unemployed of Michigan receiving a so-called 'free paycheck' did not quit their jobs – they were laid-off at no fault of their own," adds rmh820.

Still, getittogether suggests, "There's such a fine line between enabling and helping" and says people may need to accept that a new job likely won't pay what they're accustomed to earning. "Something has got to give here. We cannot extend unemployment benefits indefinitely. After a certain point you might as well call it what it is... welfare."

So: Would a 20-week extension of unemployment benefits for displaced Michigan workers simply extend a costly comfort zone and discourage more people from finding jobs?

Or would it assist hard-working residents squeezed by the worst economy in generations and prevent a far worse fate for our state?

• Leave your thoughts in the comments area below, which I regularly check. Or contact me directly at mijobsblogger (at) gmail (dot) com, or follow me at twitter.com/sveng.

http://www.mlive.com/michigan-job-search/index.ssf/2009/10/michigan_readers_weight_pros_cons_of_sen.html

WILL THIS BE THE DAY ???

2009-10-29T08:20:00.001-04:00

Adjourned until 9:30 am

2009-10-28T20:07:00.001-04:00

Sen Whitehouse did the honors @ 8:05 pm

Congress convenes at 9:30 am tomorrow.

They are allowing only 10 minutes per side for Morning Business.

Tune in about 9:55 am for a showdown!!

Casey of Pa

2009-10-28T17:32:00.002-04:00

Senator Casey from PA just said that they are going to need to pass the bill to cover Cobra very soon too. For those of you who dont know that is what is written in HR3404 the bill to extend the stimulus package from last year into next next. This was an issue from the start. That bill was introduced to the House in July and has been dangling around since then. Once they deal with this bill HR3548 they are going to have to get right back at it with HR3404. The Senate will never get anything done this session.

So, How Are You All Enjoying Post-Cloture?

2009-10-28T16:15:00.002-04:00

Is it everything you had dreamed? LOL

Or am I the only one that wants to put a shoe through their TV set?

Doing my best to take a C-Span break, but a few minutes later I have it right back on. Found ONE new job posting, so off to the post office soon to drop a resume packet to them. House phone is turned off, so I have to go to Sprint to add some minutes to the cell phone, and pull my home number off all my resumes. Then home to cook some pasta. Plain. Yum.

Ah - post-cloture - you are too good to me!

According the Pelosi's and MeDermott's and The Income Security and Family Support Commitee offices

2009-10-28T15:24:00.003-04:00

I was in a discussion with someone after receiving the email from NELP regarding where the bill would go after passage in the Senate and this is what I was told.

We have been thinking that the bill could go back to Pelosi or a committee for approval in the House, but according to what I was just told by Pelosi's office and confirmed by McDermott's office, the changes are already to substantial to be just heard by committee. There are two changes, one is the amount of weeks that House agreed on and Two is that the bill in the senate now includes all states. Accordingly, what I am being told is that the Bill will have to go before the entire House for a vote with the changes.

I would encourage everyone to seek out some answers from the House. While there is always the possibility that the information I was just given is incorrect, the more offices we talk to the better the consensus we can come to.

I also called the Ways and Means Committee and they forwarded me to the Income Security and Family Support Committee and he told me the same thing, THE BILL IN THE SENATE IS NO LONGER THE SAME BILL AS IT WAS IN THE HOUSE AND THEREFORE WILL HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE HOUSE FLOOR, not just Pelosi or a committee, but the entire house to vote on the new bill!

Clarification From NELP

2009-10-28T15:01:00.003-04:00

I just received an email from a contract I have with NELP. She sent me this email.

Alexandra

I just spoke with one of NELP’s contacts in Washington and I just wanted to update you.

After last night's overwhelming vote for cloture, there will be more negotiations in order to try to get the minority on board with the bill. It is important to have the minority on board so the bill can pass very quickly. If this small minority holds out, it could take until the end of next week to get the bill passed. If they can't reach an agreement, Senator Reid will move to get the bill passed as quickly as possible without the minority vote.

Since the Senate's version of the bill is different than the House bill, the bill must go back to the House and be approved there. If the Senate can pass the bill tomorrow, then the House can consider the bill on Tuesday or Wednesday. If the Senate does not pass the bill until next week, then the House will consider the bill on the following Tuesday or Wednesday. Right now the most we can do is continue to demand that our respective Senators to take urgent action.

Retroactive Pay:

The new bill allows for retroactive eligibility, but not retroactive pay. Retroactive eligibility means that people who exhausted their benefits prior to the passage of the bill are still covered. However these people will not be entitled to a lump sum payment when the bill is passed. The major reason retroactive payment is not in this bill is that we just cannot afford it. If there was any way for us to be pushing for retroactive pay we definitely would do so. We understand people out there are hurting and right now the main thing is to get this bill passed so we can help those in dire need as soon as possible.

Stabenow on Unemployment Insurance: ‘We Could Have Done This Three Weeks Ago’

2009-10-28T11:32:00.003-04:00

The following paragraph is from the end of this article. A few days ago a few Senators made note of the fact that this could require a 2nd cloture petition. Here is an article that speaks to that comment. To read the entire article click on the link title link to read it.

The Senate is set to vote tomorrow to begin consideration of the proposal — a procedural move requiring 60 votes to pass. But that’s just be the start of the process. Without an agreement over the amendments, Democratic leaders will have to stage a second cloture vote in order to move to a final vote on the bill. The series of procedural steps could easily push that final vote to the end of the week.

Only the public’s ignorance of the process, some Democrats claim, is preventing a backlash against Republicans. “If the public understood what was holding up this legislation,” Shaheen said, “they would be outraged.”

“And rightly so,” she added.

PRINT

12:26 am - yeah ok!

2009-10-28T09:54:00.005-04:00

They calculated this morning when 30 hours will run - 12:26 am. So, in other words, even though everyone is CLAIMING they want to vote today, the games continue and at this point, we may be looking at a vote tomorrow morning (unless the Senate pulls an all nighter, lol)

Reid this morning

http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/289676-1

9:32 am - 9:39 am

Synopsis:

Post cloture runs out at 12:26 am Thursday. Wants to work something out with Republicans, will work out vote ASAP. May have to be in the morning, but may be able to avoid it.

Vote yesterday was later than wanted - but a Senator was quite ill. He has bipartisan support to discuss First Time Homebuyers Tax Credit & Loss Carryback (for small business). Could get original bill and these matters done in two hours (with repubs indicating to him they don't even need two hours)

McConnell interrupts:

Agrees this can be done today, impasse is unnecessary. Number of amendments is "modest" and he would agree to time agreements on them, to wrap this up. Agrees there is support on both sides for the original bill as well as the two amendments Reid mentioned, but he still wants to debate all his proposed amendments.

Reid responds:

Republican amendments are argumentative. Lists out how many times the Repubs have stopped/stalled things this year, number of filibusters & forcing Dems to invoke cloture. Additional amendments are not germane and only an effort to slow things down, he is not going to agree. Said two amendments he is agreeing to are fully paid for. No reason for other amendments which are only an attempt to embarrass people.

McConnell:

Several days ago they were withing one amendment of agreeing. He is still pushing for his additional amendments, and is open to time agreements - which would wrap things up much earlier than if all the time needs to run to late tonight (as in 12:26 am)

*******

So, sounds like McConnell is willing to let the entire 30 hours run if he can't have his amendments heard, and Reid is not going to let in additional amendments. So unless they pass the peace pipe sometime today, this might not happen now until early tomorrow.

Stay tuned!

How The Reconciliation Process Works

2009-10-27T23:25:00.005-04:00

OK, so what happens when (not if, when) the Senate passes their version of HR 3548, but it differs from the version passed in the House?

Found some good & easy to follow definitions for various procedures (ie: awaiting floor action, bringing bill to floor, etc) - all these phrases we have heard tossed around this past month....on a cancer advocacy site of all places, but it is the most concise and easiest understood source I have found (I am very anti-wikopedia)

Here is the site if you want to look up what any other stuff means http://www.zerocancer.org/site/PageNavigator/The_Legislative_Process

This is what it has to say about this next hurdle:

Reconciling House/Senate Differences

Once both chambers have passed similar versions of the same bill, the differences must be reconciled before the legislation can be sent to the President for his decision to sign or not sign the bill into law. Differences between House and Senate versions of a bill may be resolved most easily when one chamber simply adopts the other's version without change. Usually, differences are resolved through one of two procedures: by a process known as amendments between the Houses or by conference committee negotiations.

In Amendments between the Houses, the bill is traded back and forth between the chambers with each offering amendments to the other body's version until one chamber adopts the latest amendment of the other without change.

Conference committee negotiations are the more well known of the two methods used to reconcile differences between the two bodies. In the House, conferees or the managers on the part of the House are appointed by the Speaker at the recommendation of the committee chairmen involved. In the Senate, the conferees are chosen strictly by the committee chairmen going to conference.

Once configured, conference committees have few rules to follow. One important restriction in the rules of both the House and Senate limit Conferees to matters in disagreement between the two chambers. The rules state clearly that conferees may not delete provisions identical in both bills nor may they insert subject matter not found in either the House or Senate-passed bill. Moreover, the conferees are asked to stay within the range of differences, i.e. not exceed the boundaries that define the House and Senate bills.

***********

So, the way I am reading this - either the House can vote on the Senate's amendment, accepting it as is, and shoot it off to the POTUS, or the House & Senate can put together a committee to hammer it out and come to an agreement - only thing they could not delete would be items found in both bills.

So, does this mean if they use the conference committees that the committee can toss out any Senate Amendments they don't like?

I have heard another possibility tossed around on the blogs about Pelosi being able to just sign it, since it is an "emergency measure" but I have yet to find that process outlined anywhere officially, nor have I seen any reporter mention anything other than it needing to be reconciled with the House version.

I am certain Reid & Pelosi have already discussed and decided on how they will push this through, but us?

Stay tuned!!

Sorry, Can't Resist Posting This ☺

2009-10-27T19:56:00.002-04:00

Obama Officially Backs Extension Of Jobless Benefits

http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2009/10/27/us/politics/politics-us-usa-unemployment-obama.html

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Obama administration on Tuesday officially threw its weight behind legislation making its way through Congress to provide additional weeks of unemployment benefits to help Americans hit by rising joblessness.

A bill to extend jobless benefits to nearly 2 million people has been approved by the House but has stalled in the Senate amid Republican objections over how to fund it.

**************

So there you have it!

************

and a more detailed story on today's actions, by the AP

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hLKyB9H7lUpiALFVlU7RRJa9-EfwD9BJO5082

Senate votes to take up jobless benefit extension

long article, but in part:

After weeks of political haggling, the Senate agreed Tuesday to take up legislation that would give people running out of unemployment insurance benefits up to 20 more weeks of federal aid.

The White House issued a statement in support of extending benefits. "Helping unemployed workers is an effective way to boost the economy and an important part of the administration's broader efforts to move swiftly and aggressively to jump start job creation and grow our economy."

As the Senate voted, Senate leaders were still trying to reach agreement on a formula to extend the homebuyer credit and whether it would be combined with the unemployment bill or brought up separately. The Senate expected to begin taking up amendments on Wednesday.

Long article though, click the link and read it all when you have time

Per Closing Remarks, Possible Vote TOMORROW

2009-10-27T19:13:00.005-04:00

Very end of the day, Shaheen's statements were just past 7:00 (eastern time)

http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/289660-101

As of now, C-Span has the video cutting off just as she gets to it.....should be updated soon.

My recollections is that she said something about the time they are adjourned or in recess WILL COUNT toward the 30 hours, and that they are hopeful 30 hours won't be needed. Therefore, they may be able to vote tomorrow.

Waiting for the video link to update and I will type out what she said.

OK, VIDEO LINK UPDATED - AT 7:09 (ET)

(Shorthand Version, not word for word)

Adjourn until 9:30 tomorrow, 2 hours morning business

Resume consideration of the Motion to Proceed to HR 3548 post cloture, and that time during any period of morning business, recess, or adjournment count post cloture.

(Without Objection, So Ordered)

Cloture was invoked on the motion to proceed to the Unemployment Extension legislation.

It is my hope that some of the post cloture debate time can be yielded back and we can proceed to the bill tomorrow.

HR 3548 IN CLOTURE

2009-10-27T18:28:00.001-04:00

How To Read The Blog.

2009-10-27T17:09:00.004-04:00

If anyone is wondering how to follow the posts or threads on the blog, on the left hand side is an archive list. Each line is a thread and when there is something new posted in that thread it will change colors so you know there is new information. Also, if you just generally work your way down the list from top to bottom as it runs from newest to oldest posts. The comments are listed after the original post in the thread.

Amanda, I hope that helps. This is a blog that we developed through blogger.com and while there might be away to make things easier, it is set up the best way I know so that everything in the archives shows up for you to see.

It does take a bit of getting used to but it is easy. Just refresh the page when you come back to it if you leave it open and the color will change as people post their comments.

I ♥ C-Span (ha!)

2009-10-27T11:09:00.005-04:00

Reed (RI) was on at 10:37 am (Eastern) today, saying there may need to be up to THREE separate cloture votes needed . Also gave a brief history of prior UB extensions under Bush the Dad, Reagan, Clinton, etc - and the bipartisan support each extension received. Also discussed the Republican amendments. Ended saying he hoped it would be passed tonight, rather than having to go through a long cloture process.

http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/289660-1

Durbin was on right after him at 10:47 am to express his "concern & dismay" over the inability to get the extension passed. Again blasted on the ACORN amendment & the E-Verify amendment (immigration status). He spoke on unemployment for about 6 minutes, and then switches over to healthcare.

....please pass the tylenol

CLOTURE VOTE ON H R 3548 6:00 PM TUESDAY 10/27/2009

2009-10-27T10:01:00.003-04:00

In The News (Monday 10.26.08)

2009-10-26T20:33:00.003-04:00

Unemployment extension in flux, but closer to a vote

http://www.examiner.com/x-19285-Chicago-Economic-Policy-Examiner~y2009m10d26-Unemployment-extension-in-flux-but-closer-to-a-vote

Discussions continue in the corridors and offices of the Senate regarding details of a measure extending the home buyer tax credit through part or all of next summer’s selling season, with the hope a compromise can be reached in time for attachment to the pending bill extending unemployment benefits 14 or 20 weeks. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has given negotiators a deadline of tomorrow to come to terms, or he has said he will bring the unemployment benefit extension bill to the Senate floor as a stand alone measure. Other Senators are still looking for a way to attach a business tax loss carry back extension to the unemployment benefits measure.

If the unemployment benefit extension passes the Senate all by itself, it will likely sail through the House the very next day. If it comes over encumbered with tax loss carry backs and home buyer credits hanging on the Christmas tree, the House may be tempted to tinker with the details of those measures, even if it means further delays for voters whose unemployment benefits ran out weeks or months ago.

(This is why we DO need to be concerned about what amendments are attached. Better it take a couple extra days in the Senate to fly through he House, than to be moved quickly from this point in the Senate, to stall out again in the House)

**********

McConnell: Not Acceptable to Pass Unemployment Extension Without GOP Amendments

http://washingtonindependent.com/65254/mcconnell-not-acceptable-to-pass-unemployment-extension-without-gop-amendments

This afternoon, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) squared off on the chamber floor over how to proceed on legislation to extend unemployment benefits at least 14 weeks. Needless to say, they failed to reach an agreement, with McConnell rejecting Reid’s motion to scraptomorrow’s cloture vote and move directly to the bill, and Reid declining a counter-proposal to move to an alternative bill offered by McConnell.

Observers of the weeks-long debate might not be surprised to learn that the sticking points remain the same: McConnell is insisting on consideration of an amendment to prevent ACORN from receiving federal funds, and another designed to filter illegal immigrants out of the workforce. The Kentucky Republican said the eight amendments Republicans are offering won’t take much longer to consider than the six provisions Reid has proposed on behalf of Democrats.

“Under my consent agreement,” McConnell said, “we would finish about as rapidly as we would under the consent agreement that the majority leader just propounded.”

Reid didn’t bite, citing the two controversial amendments, which Democrats say are unrelated to the underlying proposal.

“I see no reason that we have to do immigration on this bill — that’s what E-Verify is all about,” Reid said. “I don’t know how many more times we have to pound on ACORN — we’ve voted on that many times already.”

Reid then asked for McConnell’s consent to pass the unemployment extension without any amendments at all. McConnell’s response:

There’s no reason why we can’t reach an agreement to take up the underlying bill with a limited number of [amendments], and finish the bill expeditiously. Simply cutting people off and not allowing any amendments at all is not an acceptable approach for the minority, therefore I object.

************

Stabenow on Unemployment Insurance: ‘We Could Have Done This Three Weeks Ago’

http://washingtonindependent.com/65202/stabenow-on-unemployment-insurance-we-could-have-done-this-three-weeks-ago

In part:

In a call with reporters Monday, Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) said the GOP amendments — which include efforts to screen illegal aliens out of the job market and prevent ACORN from receiving federal funds — amount to little more than “a political agenda” intended to stall the Democrats’ policy priorities. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) charged that the Republican offerings aren’t designed to better the underlying bill, “but to make partisan political points.” And Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) couldn’t come up with a justification. “I don’t know how anyone can explain it,” she said.

Yet Stabenow dismissed the notion that the Democrats could have acted more quickly to pass the UI extension, arguing that Republicans have used filibusters to stall legislation throughout the year, creating a backlog of legislation that’s slowed progress to a crawl. "This has become a tactic,” Stabenow said. “We could have done this three weeks ago.”

The Senate is set to vote tomorrow to begin consideration of the proposal — a procedural move requiring 60 votes to pass. But that’s just be the start of the process. Without an agreement over the amendments, Democratic leaders will have to stage a second cloture vote in order to move to a final vote on the bill. The series of procedural steps could easily push that final vote to the end of the week. Only the public’s ignorance of the process, some Democrats claim, is preventing a backlash against Republicans. “If the public understood what was holding up this legislation,” Shaheen said, “they would be outraged.” “And rightly so,” she added.

Now the Cloture Vote is 5:30 Tuesday

2009-10-26T17:54:00.003-04:00

Amazing! How is it possible that they just keep pushing this vote out further and further and we just keep getting stuck in deeper and deeper in their BS. I just want to bury my head in the pillow and go to sleep forever! I am tired of all their nonsense!

UNREAL

2009-10-26T14:51:00.004-04:00

Reid tries again to bring it to the floor today with some amendments - Baucus, Homeowner Tax Credit, TARP, and 2 others (6 total)

http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/289630-1 ( @ 2:17 pm - 2:28 pm Eastern time)

McConnell objects @ 2:19 pm (proposed it go forward with EIGHT amendments instead - including immigration & ACORN)

Reid responded he was trying to limit the amendments to those that might have SOMETHING to do with unemployment. Said he does not want just a vote on cloture, but that the Senate is sending out the wrong message McConnell said the additional amendments would not take any additional floor time, and wanted the proceed & asked for unanimous consent to HR3548 with the EIGHT amendments. Reid then objects, and expressed concern over why they could not vote on JUST unemployment, and does not think Americans should suffer while the Republicans try to add on inappropriate matters.

McConnell suggests a time agreement.

So we have two competing consent agreements (one with 6 amendments, one with 8), both objected to.

Reid then suggests HR 3548 with NO amendments. McConnell objects.

So, Dems want just one amendments really (Baucus), Repubs want 8, Dems offer 6, Repubs claim Dems are not willing to negotiate the number of amendments. (Seems to me that 6 is more than meeting them halfway....guess I was never good at math)

I can't even transcribe what was said, I feel sick to my stomach.

UPDATE - Durbin's follow up to what happened today @ about 3:10 pm (Eastern)

http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/289630-1

Weekend Update

2009-10-25T12:18:00.002-04:00

Good Morning!
While during the weekends there is usually nothing to report, I wanted to show the current update that NY is showing on the Unemployment website. They have continued to update the website periodically to inform claimants of the status of the proposed Emergency Extension. Currently the following blurb is at the top of the page:

Unemployment Benefit Extensions
Federal legislation is pending for additional weeks of emergency benefits. Please continue to claim weekly benefits in the usual manner. It is not necessary to file a new claim, unless you are advised to do so. For updates, continue checking this website or click here for more details regarding benefit extensions.

This update was posted since Thursday evening, which was the last time I checked it. Additionally NY is warning claimants to continue their work search or if you do not participate in the work search for any reason they should not claim benefits for that week or they stand to lose 4 weeks benefits. See next paragraph

Advisory for Individuals Claiming Extended Benefits
If you failed to search for work during the past week for any reason, you should not claim extended benefits for that week; otherwise you may be disqualified from receiving benefits until you have worked for four (4) weeks and earned four (4) times your weekly benefit amount.

With the cloture vote scheduled for 2:30PM on Tuesday, we should spend Monday and Tuesday morning making calls and sending emails to all the Senators, encouraging them to work fast and resolve this issue in such a manner so the bill will not take any longer than it has already. It's important to make sure they continue to hear that this bill was an EMERGENCY measure and we have not seen much EMERGENCY progress from the Senate. This bill needs to hit the desk of the President by Friday for his signature. Any additional amendments attached to this bill will slow down the process. When they vote on the amendments everyone should keep in mind how long they have already help the process up.

Please continue to share your thoughts and ideas and we will see you online tomorrow.

The "Amendments"

2009-10-23T19:53:00.003-04:00

Library of Congress is showing four (4) amendments at this time

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/L?d111:./temp/~bdaOeGA:1[1-4](Amendments_For_H.R.3548)&./temp/~bdyhqE

There is NOT a lot of info on any of them at this point, text is left blank or says "will be available when the amendment is proposed for consideration" so I am digging to see if there is anywhere else with more info,or if we won't know until next week.

#1) The first (2668) must be the old Baucus Amendment that we knew about (changing it from 13 weeks for high states, to 14 for all, extra 6 for high) - shows 38 co-sponsors. Submitted 10-8-09

#2) #2695, sponsored by Sen. Sessions; Submitted 10-20-09

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/D?d111:2:./temp/~bdyhqE::

Says it is " TITLE--MEDICAL CARE ACCESS PROTECTION" & "TITLE II--EMPLOYMENT ELIGIBILITY VERIFICATION"

#3) #2698, Submitted 10-22-09, sponsored by Sen. Feingold

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/D?d111:3:./temp/~bdyhqE::

Mr. FEINGOLD submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill H.R. 3548, to amend the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2008 to provide for the temporary availability of certain additional emergency unemployment compensation, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

At the appropriate place, insert the following:

SEC. __X. ELIMINATION OF AUTOMATIC PAY ADJUSTMENTS FOR MEMBERS OF CONGRESS.

and #4 ) #2699, submitted 10-22-09, sponsored by Sen. Isakson (co-sponsor Dodd)

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?r111:1:./temp/~r111pgGYBQ::

SA 2699. Mr. ISAKSON (for himself and Mr. Dodd) submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill H.R. 3548, to amend the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2008 to provide for the temporary availability of certain additional emergency unemployment compensation, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

At the end, insert the following:

SEC. __. CREDIT FOR CERTAIN HOME PURCHASES.

(a) Elimination of First-Time Homebuyer Requirement.--

(1) IN GENERAL.--Subsection (a) of section 36 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by striking ``who is a first-time homebuyer of a principal residence'' and inserting ``who purchases a principal residence''.

*****************

Numbers shown are "Senate Amendment Numbers"

So, we knew (and liked) the first.

We knew the fourth was coming (homebuyer tax credit). Hopefully it is not enough of an issue to hang things up, since the White House has not been very supportive of this extension (and Isakson wants to get rid of the restriction that it be for first time home buyers only). We might see a lot of the debate time going to this one.

I am a little foggy on #2 & #3, hopefully I can find something that gives a bit more info, but at first glance neither seems to be very worrisome (though who knows what either really means)

At least, so far, I don't see anything about immigration, TARP/stimulus funds, or ACORN.

If anyone finds more info on the amendments, please share!!

Noodles4Nothing On NELP website!

2009-10-23T15:12:00.002-04:00

http://www.unemployedworkers.org/sites/unemployedworkers/index.php/resources

Our Noodles4Nothing Campaign, listed as Unemployed Workers Using Their Noodles is now listed on the NELP website. Please follow the link to check it out.

Also, I would ask all of you to please help spread the word to friends and family members to start using their noodles. We have a date that the senate is voting on cloture but this is not a done deal until the issues with unemployment are resolved. The more we do the more attention we bring to the issues.

In The News: Friday, October 23

2009-10-23T11:57:00.004-04:00

Today's NELP Update

Progress Being Made in Senate on Extension Bill (October 23,2009)

Friends – the Senate Majority Leader, Harry Reid, and Finance Chair, Max Baucus, are reportedly making progress in negotiating with Republicans about amendments to the unemployment insurance extension bill and finding a favorable schedule in which to take up and vote on this bill. They hope to have it passed by the end of next week, though that is just a hope, not a guarantee. But the bill is moving, and the press is telling your story with increasing frequency. Please keep up the calls and the pressure on all in the Senate - tell them to pass a bill they know the House can pass quickly, and do it as soon as possible. Every day they make you wait is a day you will never recapture.

http://www.unemployedworkers.org/sites/unemployedworkers/index.php/benefits

*************

Update:

http://www.capitolhillreports.com/102309.htm

Isakson Looks to Continue Home Buyer Tax Credit via Unemployment Extension Bill

Senator Johnny Isakson (R-GA) intends to propose an amendment to theUnemployment Compensation Extension Act (H.R. 3548) that would extend and expand the $8,000 home buyer tax credit through June 30, 2010, by removing the first-time home buyer requirement and raising the annual income ceilings to $150,000 for individuals and $300,000 for married couples. Only first-time home buyers currently qualify for the tax credit, which was enacted under the Economic Recovery and Reinvestment Act (P.L. 111-5), and is set to expire on Nov. 30, 2009. Isakson's proposal is estimated to cost $16.7 billion over five years.

Senate Democratic and Republican leaders yesterday agreed to postpone today's scheduled vote on whether to proceed to consideration of the unemployment benefits extension legislation. That vote will now occur on Tuesday, Oct. 27. The body is expected to vote in favor of moving to the bill and then begin debate on amendments. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) has been seeking an agreement with the Republican leadership on a set list of amendments, an objective that in part has slowed the bill's movement in the Senate.

As passed by the House, H.R. 3548 would extend unemployment benefits to states where the unemployment rate is 8.5 percent or higher. However, Reid and Senate Finance Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT) are expected to offer a substitute amendment to the House-passed bill that would provide an extension to all 50 states by up to 14 weeks, and up to 20 weeks for states with unemployment levels exceeding 8.5 percent. The cost of both proposals would be offset by extending the federal unemployment tax.

"Next week will be a busy week," Reid said yesterday during a floor statement. "We hope to complete action on the Unemployment Insurance Extension Act, Commerce-Justice-Science Appropriations, and Military Construction Appropriations. We also need to pass a continuing resolution before the end of the week."

***********

Here is one perspective on why we got bumped to next week

Hate Crimes Dispute Delays Senate Vote On Jobless Benefits

By Corey Boles, Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES

WASHINGTON -(Dow Jones)- A Senate vote on an extension of federal jobless benefits has been delayed until at least next Tuesday due to a dispute between lawmakers over hate crime legislation being attached to a bill to fund the Department of Defense in fiscal 2010.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D., Nev.) said earlier that he had hoped to bring forward legislation Thursday that would provide up to 20 extra weeks of federal unemployment benefits to people out of work long-term.

But after a several-hour standoff over Republican opposition to attaching a measure extending hate crimes protection for homosexuals to the defense authorization bill, the effort to extend jobless benefits has been delayed until next week.

http://www.nasdaq.com/aspx/stock-market-news-story.aspx?storyid=200910221717dowjonesdjonline001025&title=hate-crimes-dispute-delays-senate-vote-on-jobless-benefits

The BIG Picture: WE Need JOBS

2009-10-23T11:33:00.002-04:00

Obama Wrestling With Jobs Outlook

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125626099818702945.html

(From the Wall St Journal)

WASHINGTON -- Increasingly alarmed over bleak employment forecasts, the Obama administration is searching for ways to boost job growth without adding to the federal budget deficit.

White House economist Christina Romer, in remarks that ratcheted up the administration's pessimism, told a congressional panel Thursday that "labor market conditions will remain painfully weak through 2010." She said that the jobless rate, which hit 9.8% last month, would likely remain "at its severely elevated level" for at least another year.

In testimony before the congressional Joint Economic Committee, Ms. Romer said the federal stimulus package will have its greatest effects this year and "will likely be contributing little to growth" by the middle of next year. She also warned that the growing clamor to address the high unemployment rate had to be balanced against the rising tide of red ink.

Obama aides and Democratic lawmakers face sharp restraints as they weigh new options for job creation heading into an election year. They are loath to take steps that would suggest their $787 billion stimulus package isn't sufficiently effective. And they are wary of adding to the budget deficit, which for the fiscal year ended Sept. 30 topped $1.4 trillion, a level not seen since World War II.

Most of the proposals being considered would extend programs already under way. The White House now appears ready to back the extension of an $8,000 tax credit for first-time home buyers. Many Democratic lawmakers support the idea, though the program's credibility has been undermined by reports of thousands of fraudulent and erroneous claims.

Obama aides have also embraced extending enhanced unemployment-insurance benefits, which Congress is likely to approve over the next few days, and subsidies for the unemployed to purchase health insurance.

The White House is also moving to inject capital into small businesses. President Barack Obama proposed legislation Wednesday to raise the ceiling on certain Small Business Administration loans. The White House also wants Congress to approve steps to provide lower-cost capital to community banks. Both would use existing funds from the Troubled Asset Relief Program.

Another White House proposal would redeploy TARP funds to help struggling rural and urban communities by offering small-businesses loans at 2% interest for up to eight years.

Members of the White House economic team are now meeting twice a week, on average, to discuss job creation, according to a senior administration official who participates. The discussions are "lively," with sharp differences over what will work quickly and effectively, this person said. The administration plans to eschew any larger package of jobs measures in favor of a series of smaller programs.

But skepticism remains high over whether any of the measures under consideration would spur significant job creation. Business executives are calling for more dramatic moves, including passage of a proposed six-year, $500 billion highway infrastructure bill, which some Democrats want to see funded through an increase in gasoline taxes.

"The reality for our industry is that the stimulus bill has not been a jobs bill," Ron DeFeo, chief executive of Terex Corp., said in an interview. With construction down sharply across the U.S., Terex, one of the world's largest construction-equipment makers by sales, has laid off 4,000 U.S. employees since the summer of 2008. Mr. DeFeo, who says he plans to be "very judicious" in rehiring, has been lobbying lawmakers to move ahead quickly on the highway bill.

The Obama administration has called for holding off on a big highway bill until next year, partly to avoid Republican portrayal of the bill as another stimulus package.

The White House, meanwhile, has been seeking ideas recently from the private sector, including from a group of high-level CEOs who are in frequent contact with Mr. Obama's top economic advisers.

Dan DiMicco, chief executive of steelmaker Nucor Corp., was part of a private CEO lunch with Mr. Obama in late July. He and his staff have since advised the White House to redirect federal stimulus money into more immediate infrastructure projects.

"The reality is that we have to find ways to create millions and millions of new jobs over the next five years," Mr. DiMicco said.

Other CEOs have called for corporate tax cuts to spur job growth, an avenue the administration appears unlikely to take.

In Congress, many Democrats are reluctant to take on more costly initiatives, preferring to wait a month or two before deciding whether to push through bigger-ticket ideas. Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D., Md.) said lawmakers increasingly agree that some intermediate steps must be taken, including the unemployment-insurance extension, the health-coverage subsidy and the home buyers' tax credit. "As for additional bigger-ticket items, that will depend on how the economy develops," Mr. Van Hollen said.

But Democrats worry about heading into an election year with joblessness so high. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi -- who said Wednesday that "the No. 1 subject on the minds of the American people" was "jobs, jobs, jobs" -- has asked the chairs of committees controlling spending for ideas on quick job creation.

MN won’t get federal unemployment extension

2009-10-23T01:13:00.000-04:00

Rather interesting article follows:

Laid off workers in Minnesota won’t be eligible for extended federal unemployment benefits beginning Nov. 15, the state’s department of employment and economic development announced Thursday.

The U.S. Department of Labor has disqualified Minnesota from its extended unemployment program, as the state’s average unemployment rate for the past three months has fallen to 7.8 percent. Only states with a three-month average of 8 percent or more are eligible for the extended benefits.

As a result of the decision, unemployed workers in Minnesota can now receive federal benefits for 72 weeks, rather than 79 weeks. The change will immediately impact about 3,500 people.

Before the federal government put unemployment extensions in place, Minnesotans were eligible for up to 26 weeks of benefits.

Cloture Vote Slated for Tuesday

2009-10-22T18:38:00.000-04:00

Cloture vote scheduled for Tuesday afternoon.
http://progressillinois.com/2009/10/22/reid-cloture-unemployment-benefits

&

http://washingtonindependent.com/64876/senate-vote-on-extension-of-unemployment-insurance-scheduled-for-tuesday

In The News: Thursday, October 22

2009-10-22T11:09:00.002-04:00

Reid:Hopes Unemployment-Benefits Bill Passes Senate Thursday

http://www.nasdaq.com/aspx/stock-market-news-story.aspx?storyid=200910221040dowjonesdjonline000746&title=reidhopes-unemployment-benefits-bill-passes-senate-thursday

By Corey Boles, Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES

WASHINGTON -(Dow Jones)- Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said he hoped the Senate could pass an extension of federal unemployment benefits Thursday.

Speaking on the floor of the Senate, Reid said that he believed there would be plenty of opportunity for both Democrats and Republicans to bring forward amendments to the legislation.

The Senate bill would extend benefits for 14 weeks for all out-of-work Americans and a further six weeks for unemployed people in states with jobless rates higher than 8.5% over a three-month period.

A House bill approved by lawmakers in that chamber last week extended benefits to those living in the worst affected states by 13 weeks.

Aides to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., have indicated the House would likely take up the more generous Senate version of the benefits extension.

The measure has been stuck in the Senate for more than two weeks due to partisan rancor among Democrats and Republicans.

***********

A Looming Vote to Extend Unemployment Insurance?

http://washingtonindependent.com/64726/a-looming-vote-to-extend-unemployment-insurance

Could be.

Late Wednesday, Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.) filed a motion to proceed to legislation extending unemployment benefits. But the majority leader was quick to clarify that the move is no indication that he’s struck a deal with GOP leaders over how to pass the bill.

“We’re trying to work something out,” Reid said, adding that the cloture motion was intended “to move the process along as we continue to negotiate.”

Republicans are hoping to attach a series of amendments, including a provision to expand the homebuyer tax credit and another to pay for the unemployment extension with unspent stimulus funds. Still other Republicans have offered immigration- and ACORN-related amendments they hope will fly alongside the unemployment benefits bill.

“We’ve exchanged the papers with the minority,” Reid said. “We would hope that they come back with a reasonable number of amendments.”

Meanwhile, it’s estimated that 7,000 Americans lose their benefits each day. The House passed its version of the unemployment insurance extension in September.

***********

Reid Files Motion to Extend Unemployment Benefits

http://www.rollcall.com/news/39799-1.html

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) filed a procedural motion Wednesday on legislation to extend unemployment benefits an additional 14 weeks.

Republicans have twice blocked the measure from moving forward, saying they want to consider a handful of amendments along with the larger package. Especially problematic for Democrats is an amendment sponsored by Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.) that would extend the popular homebuyers tax credit.

Democrats have been cool to take up the bill, which does not include an offset for the $16.7 billion price tag. The bill Reid filed a motion on Wednesday does not include the Isakson amendment.

IMPORTANT Senator Reid's Opening Statements October 22nd 2009

2009-10-22T10:04:00.004-04:00

This morning while Reid was detailing the morning business he said a few important things about HR3548.
1. He will schedule a "in session" day for tomorrow if they need to vote on cloture tomorrow.
2. He would prefer this bill not go to a cloture vote tomorrow, he would like them all to agree today and bring it to a vote and get it done.
3. If they are "in session" tomorrow he will exercise his full right in the Senate to bring other business to a vote, and he doesnt have to give prior notice with regards to these bills and amendments under the rules of order.

They are pushing to bring HR3548 to a vote before the end of business day. We need to be calling the Republican Senators who are dragging their feet. We need to tell them what we want, not sit still while they tell us that the Democrats can bring it to the floor without them. They need to be encouraged to resolve their amendment issues today.

Please Post Any and All Senate Contact Information HERE.

2009-10-21T23:18:00.002-04:00

We all have collected a lot of contact information, please share all that information in this thread. We should really get on the phones tomorrow, calling the Republican Senators, the Democrats and the media. If we can use this thread to post any updates from that process under this thread it will be great and easy to locate and read through. Tomorrow is a big day!!

WTF Is Cloture (A Cliff Notes Guide)

2009-10-21T20:50:00.002-04:00

Short explanation:

Cloture is a procedure used by the United States Senate to end a filibuster or prolonged debate and reach a final vote on the pending motion, bill, amendment, or conference report. Unlimited debate in the Senate was curtailed by the addition of cloture under Senate Rule 22, adopted in 1917. To invoke cloture, a senator must file a motion signed by at least sixteen members. Once the cloture motion is filed, only germane amendments may be offered and may only be introduced by the next legislative day.

The Senate later modified the cloture procedure to reduce the number of votes required to end debate for most matters to 60 percent of the entire Senate. Post-cloture debate was reduced to 100 hours in 1979 and then to 30 hours in 1986. Proposed changes to Senate rules still require a two-thirds supermajority vote to invoke cloture. In The period since 1975, more than 300 cloture votes have been taken, with debate successfully ended 40 percent of the time. Use of the cloture procedure reduces the effectiveness of impassioned minority viewpoints, allowing a supermajority to move forward on controversial agenda items.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

More detailed explanation:

The new version of the cloture rule, which has remained in place since 1975, makes it considerably easier for the Senate majority to invoke cloture. This has considerably strengthened the power of the majority, and allowed it to pass many bills that would otherwise have been filibustered. (The Democratic Party had held a two-thirds majority in the 89th Congress of 1965, but regional divisions among Democrats meant that many filibusters were invoked by Southern Democrats against civil rights bills supported by the Northern wing of the party.) Some senators wanted to reduce it to a simple majority (51 out of 100) but this was rejected, as it would greatly diminish the ability of the minority to check the majority.

The three-fifths version of the cloture rule does not apply to motions to end filibusters relating to Senate Rule changes. In order to invoke cloture to end debate over changing the Senate Rules, the original version of the rule (two-thirds of those Senators "present and voting") still applies.

The procedure for "invoking cloture," or ending a filibuster, is as follows:

A minimum of sixteen senators must sign a petition for cloture.
The petition may be presented by interrupting another Senator's speech.
The clerk reads the petition.
The cloture petition is ignored for one full day during which the Senate is sitting (If the petition is filed on a Friday, it is ignored until Monday, assuming that the Senate did not sit on Saturday or Sunday.)
On the second calendar day during which the Senate sits after the presentation of the petition, after the Senate has been sitting for one hour, a "quorum call" is undertaken to ensure that a majority of the Senators are present.
The President of the Senate or President pro tempore presents the petition.
The Senate votes on the petition; three-fifths of the whole number of Senators (sixty with no vacancies) is the required majority; however, when cloture is invoked on a question of changing the rules of the Senate, two-thirds of the Senators voting (not necessarily two-thirds of all Senators) is the requisite majority.

After cloture has been invoked, the following restrictions apply:

No more than thirty hours of debate may occur.
No Senator may speak for more than one hour.
No amendments may be moved unless they were filed on the day in between the presentation of the petition and the actual cloture vote.
All amendments must be relevant to the debate.
Certain debates on procedure are not permissible.
The presiding officer gains additional power in controlling debate.
No other matters may be considered until the question upon which cloture was invoked is disposed of.

The ability to invoke cloture was last attained by a US political party in the 111th Congress, by the Democrats, with the help of two independents.

Source: http://www.answers.com/topic/cloture

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Scenario One

IF they manage to work this out as Reid alluded to, agree on some amendments, then can revoke the cloture motion and go ahead and present amendments, debate, and vote. If they all play nice, this could actually occur tomorrow, and we could get it voted on this week.

If they do NOT come to an agreement as Reid was hoping for, then they go forward with the cloture motion, or

Scenario Two (Cloture)

Wednesday 10/21 ----> The petition was presented

Thursday 10/22 ---> The cloture petition is ignored for one full day during which the Senate is sitting T

Friday 10/23 ---> On the second calendar day during which the Senate sits after the presentation of the petition, after the Senate has been sitting for one hour, a "quorum call" is undertaken to ensure that a majority of the Senators are present. The Senate votes on the petition. (If they are not in session Friday, this all gets moved to Monday 10/26)

At that point, up to 30 hours are permitted for debate (Sat/Sun not counted), so if they start Friday early in the day, they could vote Monday late/Tuesday morning. If they start Monday afternoon (since Monday starts tend to be 2 pm), it could take until Wednesday sometime (10/28)

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The GOOD part is that Reid seems to be giving them until tomorrow to present some reasonable amendments, at which point they could revoke the motion for cloture. If there is no agreement on that, he follows through to invoke cloture, which then limits amendments to those "relevant to the debate"and they would need to be filed tomorrow ("No amendments may be moved unless they were filed on the day in between the presentation of the petition and the actual cloture vote")

So - they way I am interpreting all of this, there IS a possibility they come to an agreement and can vote as early as Thursday/Friday....or they follow through with this and there is a vote middle of next week.

Waiting to read a "professional interpretation" but this is all my best guess.

What either path means as far as the House I am not certain.

News Coverage of Motion for Cloture

2009-10-21T20:31:00.003-04:00

OK, so Senate Calendar explains what happened as:

Senator Reid filed cloture on the motion to proceed to H.R.3548, Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2009

http://democrats.senate.gov/calendar/2009-10.html

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News Coverage

Reid Files Motion To Extend Long-Term Unemployment Benefits

http://www.nasdaq.com/aspx/stock-market-news-story.aspx?storyid=200910212022dowjonesdjonline000902&title=us-reid-files-motion-to-extend-long-term-unemployment-benefits

WASHINGTON -(Dow Jones)- Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., filed a procedural motion Wednesday night on legislation that would extend federal unemployment benefits to long term unemployed people for up to 20 weeks.

The move by Reid effectively starts a clock which will limit debate on the bill. It still remains unclear whether any attempts to amend the legislation will be allowed.

The legislation has been hung up in the Senate for the last two weeks due to political wrangling between the majority Democrats and the Republicans.

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Nothing on the NELP Daily Update page yet, it will probably be there by morning

http://www.unemployedworkers.org/sites/unemployedworkers/index.php

HR 3548 Cloture Petition Files 7:48pm October 21, 2009

2009-10-21T19:49:00.001-04:00

They have just filed the cloture petition on HR3548!

Suggestions/Ideas - What CAN we do?

2009-10-21T11:07:00.004-04:00

The "Noodles" concept is still gaining some ground. If you have not, join the facebook group here http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=179541425630&ref=mf

Let's all share some thoughts on what other grassroots type stuff we can implement to have our voices heard.

Phone calls. For those of you who still have the ability to make calls, I think the calls to the Senate offices are one of the best sources for information outside watching c-span. Yes, there are times you will get someone who is not very forthcoming, but often enough we get an aide who has some new info, or who is willing to talk "off script" to give some idea what is going on, or to explain some procedural things to us that seem baffling.
Emails/faxes. They are easy to do, cost nothing, and you can easily send multiple ones through. Just tossing it out there though, it seems this might be the least effective way of contacting Senators - rarely is anyone getting any response, rarely do we hear the Senators mention all the emails they are getting (phone calls and letters yes), and my gut instinct is that only a portion of those are every opened. Not saying to stop using this method, just saying that we may want to incorporate some other methods.
Mailed letters. When watching Bill Maher last week, Chris Matthews was speaking on a topic totally unrelated to UB. But, when asked - what can people do - he said WRITE LETTERS, Old fashioned business letters, printed out, signed in ink, stamped envelope. He said in all his dealings with Senators, other than face-to-face meetings, this method is THE most effective way of contacting them, a method they are very responsive to. So, if you have access to a printer, or can write neatly, and have some envelopes & stamps, please think about writing your story - the types of stories many Senators have already been reading from the Senate floor - and mailing to the Senators from yor state, to the majority & minority leaders as well.

Those are what we have been focusing on, and don't cost much if anything. Other ideas being tossed around require a bigger time or financial commitment, and more organization. If anyone knows of groups that are organizing anything we can lend our support to, please post links or info here.

Marches/rallies - either in DC or locally
Letters to editors of various publications
Making appointments to meet with Senators/aides in DC (for those within a drivable distance), or checking to see if your Senators are doing anything locally on weekends.
Any other ideas? Let's get creative - toss ideas out there, we'll see together if there is anything we can do with those ideas.

In The News: Wednesday, October 21

2009-10-21T11:04:00.004-04:00

UPDATE @ 4:59 PM

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=abdI0IokR6FE

Unemployment Benefit Extension Stalls in U.S. Senate

In part:

Arizona Senator Jon Kyl, the No. 2 Republican, said his side wants amendments on “stuff that pertains to the subject - -how do you pay for it, for example.” He said the measure has been further delayed by Democrats’ decision to take up a measure that would scrap scheduled cuts in Medicare reimbursements to doctors.

Senate Banking Committee Chairman Christopher Dodd, a Connecticut Democrat, has proposed a $17 billion plan that would extend and expand the plan until June 2010. Dodd’s proposal, cosponsored by Georgia Republican Senator Johnny Isakson, would expand the credit to all homebuyers and increase those eligible to couples earning as much as $300,000. Isakson is pushing to attach the plan to the Democrats’ unemployment aid bill.

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, a Montana Democrat and the chamber’s chief tax writer, said today he opposes the Dodd-Isakson proposal, saying any extension should continue to be limited to first-time buyers. He said the break should be extended until mid-2010 and financed with offsetting savings so it doesn’t add to the government’s $1.4 trillion deficit.

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Not much new today so far, mostly just rehashing the press conference from yesterday.

Here, though, is a nice concise reporting of it, as well as the clip of Durbin's speech from the Senate floor.

http://progressillinois.com/2009/10/21/durbin-unemployment-speech

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Here is a hint on the procedural issues

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/10/21/795299/-Party-Of-No-Obstructs-Extending-Unemployment-BenefitsDemocrats-Let-Them

In part:

For the second time in a month, the Party of No is screwing over those who need help the most -- but they're getting an able assist from the Party Who Can't Spell Majority:

Senate Democratic leaders have twice tried to get the consent of GOP leaders to pass the bill, only to be shot down over procedural sticking points.

So what happened? Democrats asked for the bill to come to the floor under unanimous consent, and Republicans said no. Of course you can bring a bill to the floor in other ways, such as a motion to proceed, and while that could be filibustered, the leadership isn't bothering to see if Republicans would have the guts to filibuster a bill to extend unemployment benefits at the same time that they're pretending to feel the pain of the jobless.

Today is a New Day! Weds October 21st

2009-10-21T09:32:00.002-04:00

Good Morning to all. I want to make sure that everyone knows there are a number of posts listed on the left side in the archive bar, under all those posts there are comments on each post. I tried to give a place for various aspects of the issues we are facing. I am not saying that we cant cross post or post info in anyone of of the threads, I just want everyone to know that there are comments under all of the post headlines.

Have a great Day!

I am also going to post the following infor here as well as I put it under the thread from yesterdays press conference.

Here are the important words we were looking for as to what is taking so long to get this done even if they have all the votes they need to get the bill pushed through. The following is traken from the transcript of the press conference yesterday.

REED:
We have 60 votes, but if you are -- and apparently, this is what the Republican leadership is suggesting -- if you have to have a cloture vote on a motion to proceed, if you have to have a cloture vote on the House version and then another cloture vote on the Senate version, you're talking about days and days and days of time that is not going to be spent dealing with other important issues, like the appropriations bills.

BEYOND HR 3548 ...WHAT COMES NEXT? GOOD QUESTION

2009-10-21T09:00:00.006-04:00

I predicted a harder fight in the Senate before it passed in the House. I did not believe it would come to this. Each extension will get harder and more difficult to pass. They talk of a second recession, while we are still dealing with this one. They mention that the high unemployment is the new norm. Finding a new job, one for every six, look around, a lot of the people you see are not getting a job, at least not anywhere in the near future. I say this not to be negative, or depressing, but as a warning. I know unemployment doesn't pay a lot, doesn't even cover all the bills, try to save a little each week if possible. Think of what you are going to do after this extension passes, and do it now, not when it runs out. HR 3404 will not extend your unemployment next year as written, it is not for those that have already ran out. It extends the dates for more recent unemployed to collect the extensions you have already received. I think we mostly all believe this extension will eventually pass, but it may be the last for a lot of people, prepare for the worst, HOPE for the best. The year 2010 is approaching fast and it is looking dismal and some economist think a worst recession is to follow after this one. Do I sound like a doomsayer, not to be. I care for those that are homeless as through no fault of their own, those that are not as mentally equipped to compete in the job market like you are. I know you are not standing on the sidelines hoping someone else will get it done. You ARE the ones getting it done. You hear you don't have enough experience, you know they don't hire you because you are too old. Single parents, hmmm, are your children going to prevent you from showing up for work at times. Are you going to be the one out of six to get a job. I say HELL YES!! You are the people that get things done. You are the players, not the audience. So what next, start thinking as soon as this extension passes or sooner. It may seem like Heaven when this bill passes, but Hell could be just a few months down the road. I'm done preaching, I do really care. God Bless you.
Carl

Some thoughts on civility & the tone on this blog

2009-10-21T02:24:00.004-04:00

So glad to see more people joining this blog, as either contributors or followers. Hopefully we get even more people who are looking for a more civil discussion on HR 3548 & surrounding issues. Please help spread the word, and invite your friends.

Please keep in mind that the driving force behind the creation of this web page was the level of dissatisfaction many of us had at other sites....the bashing, the name calling, and the unsubstantiated statements.

While venting is good, and healthy, and at this point something we could all probably benefit from, kindly keep in mind the difference between venting your frustrations over this process, and outright bashing of other members, or of elected officials. There are plenty of places to name call, to slam a particular party or elected individual - be it a senator, the President, or any aides you may speak with. Not to say we can't express frustration over the statements anyone is saying, or the lack of action, but please please please - don't let this become yet another site where frustrations are manifested in name calling and put downs.

Let us instead come together to share information - be it news stories, information derived from phone calls, and ideas for action. Let's all leave the nastiness and incivility to the other web sites.

Thanks, and a major thanks to Alley once again for creating a troll-free and bash-free web site. We all have enough to worry about, let's keep the negativity off this site.

~~Namaste~~

A Place To Share Job Searching Information

2009-10-20T14:11:00.004-04:00

After reading some of the comments this morning I figured that maybe we can also help one another in other ways, So this thread is a place to share information you might have or know of or want to share to help people searching for jobs.

Post links, company names and addresses or anything else you want to share regarding job searching.

If you need to vent about the process feel free to do that here too.

Today (Tuesday, October 20) in the News

2009-10-20T12:17:00.003-04:00

A few good ones already

Political sparring delays unemployment benefit extension

http://www.examiner.com/x-19285-Chicago-Economic-Policy-Examiner~y2009m10d20-Political-sparring-delays-unemployment-benefit-extension

In part:

Democratic politicians will hold a press conference Tuesday to blast Republican politicians for holding up legislation to extend unemployment benefits another 14 weeks for the nation's out of work citizens. Elected representatives in both houses of Congress have agreed on the details of a bill and apparently have the votes to pass it, but Republicans blocked passage by unanimous consent, and continue to offer what Democrats characterize as unrelated amendments in a series of parliamentary maneuvers designed to stall passage of the benefits.

Senate Budget Committee ranking Republican Judd Gregg said he believes the procedural differences over unemployment benefit extension will be resolved soon. Gregg wants to avoid the benefit extension measure adding to the national deficit. "This deficit is driven by us," Gregg said. "The systemic risk today is the Congress of the United States. We're creating massive debts which we're passing on to our children."

AND

US gov't skeptical on renewing home buy tax credit

http://www.reuters.com/article/marketsNews/idUSN2043041920091020

In part:

Isakson is seeking to attach a bill to extend the credit, and expand it to cover repeat homebuyers, to separate legislation pending in the Senate to extend unemployment benefits. The Senate could vote on that as early as this week.

LATE UPDATE - INTERESTING ONE

http://washingtonindependent.com/64513/expanded-unemployment-benefits-stalled-by-gop-acorn-immigration-amendments

Expansion of Unemployment Insurance Stalled by ACORN, Immigration Amendments

By MIKE LILLIS 10/20/09 2:52 PM

The stalling of legislation to expand unemployment insurance (UI) has little to do with the benefit itself. First, there’s a push to attach an extended homebuyer tax credit to the bill — something the Obama administration is wary of.

But also there’s this: Republicans are hoping to attach a number of amendments related to ACORN and immigration — provisions that have delayed floor action on the UI bill indefinitely, according to the offices of both Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.).

The agreement ends after that.

The Republican amendments include at least two provisions related to ACORN; one related to the E-Verify program; one to pay for the UI benefits with unspent stimulus money; and one providing tax relief.

Reid’s office says the amendments are unrelated and therefore have no place in the debate over jobless benefits. “These are tactics that Republicans have used in the past to delay,” a Reid aide said. “It seems as if they aren’t negotiating in good faith on this.”

For its part, McConnell’s office conceded that “some of the amendments” are related to ACORN and immigration. But, a spokesperson said, the “related” changes would improve the bill.

Earlier this month, a group of Senate Democrats introduced a proposal to expand unemployment insurance benefits by 14 weeks nationwide, with a 20-week extension benefiting those states with unemployment rates higher than 8.5 percent. The House has already passed a more stingy version of the bill, granting a 13-week extension only in those states with unemployment topping 8.5 percent.

The Link To The Press Conference

2009-10-20T11:49:00.003-04:00

Here is the link to the Press Conference with the Democratic Senators held on October 20th at 11:30 am est

Press Conference today at 11:30am

2009-10-20T10:38:00.001-04:00

NELP called me again this morning,

Press Conference at 11:30 today! A number of Democratic Senators will conduct a press conference this morning at 11:30 am regarding the unemployment issues. Also NELP attorney told me that they forwarded a bunch of letters to them from people and they are hoping they are going to be reading from these letters.

ALSO, NELP is adding the Noodles4Nothing information to the NELP website!!