Congress Still Discussing Extended Unemployment Benefits

UNDATED (WKZO) -- Unemployed Michigan residents will be watching Congress this week as it tries to pass an extension of jobless benefits that lapsed at midnight. A bill that would have extended unemployment aid through March stalled last week when Senator Jim Bunning of Kentucky objected to it.

The Republican and former Tigers pitcher said he wanted to know how the ten-billion-dollar package would be funded. Arizona Senator John Kyl told "Fox News Sunday" that he believes the bill will ultimately pass. Michigan has the highest unemployment rate in the nation.

Over a million jobless workers nationwide could be impacted by the Senate’s failure to extend benefits last week, 130-thousand in Michigan…The senate gets back to work today.

If you are currently on unemployment, the State of Michigan says continue to make your regularly scheduled contacts with MARVIN. They say continue to make claims, even though the Senate has failed to extend the benefits, because in most cases, the log jam at the capitol won’t affect clients immediately.

Spokesman Norm Isotello says even if you are among those who are directly impacted by the stoppage, continue to file because they could reinstitute it retroactively. He says the real problem comes if the Senate can’t get over this legislative log jam created by one senator, but that seems unlikely.