By Joseph Picard: Subscribe to Joseph's RSS feed
July 21, 2010 11:40 PM EDT
After a final Republican procedural delay, the Senate passed an extension to unemployment insurance this evening, moving the government a step closer to reinstating benefits to approximately 2.5 million unemployed Americans.
The vote was 60 to 40, with two Republican Senators - Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe, both of Maine - crossing the aisle to vote with the Democratic majority. The vote of Sen. Carte Goodwin, D-WV, who was appointed last week to take the late Robert Byrd's seat, was also crucial to the measure passing.
But the Senate Republicans, who have steadfastly opposed the measure, used a procedural rule to delay the final vote for over a day, after a measure passed Tuesday to permit the vote on the extension.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said the measure made moral sense because it helped families who desperately need the money, and economic sense.
"Every time $1 goes out in unemployment benefits, $1.61 comes back into the economy," Reid said.
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Reid criticized Republicans for the delay, remarking that they have "said 'no' to America's unemployed."
Republicans have repeatedly said that they do not oppose extending UI benefits, but want to pay for it out of stimulus funds already appropriated, rather than increasing the deficit by paying for the extension out of the general fund.
President Obama also castigated the Republican delaying tactics.
The Republican Senators did not "allow this bill to come to the floor for a vote quickly" so that benefits could not be restored, he said.
"The livelihoods of nearly 3 million Americans shouldn't hinge on partisan game playing in Washington," Obama said.
Because the measure was amended in the Senate, it must now ret5urn to the House for its approval. The House passed a similar bill last month and is expected to pass this version. President Obama is expected to promptly sign it.
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