Reid makes aid pitch for jobless

Crucial Senate vote today

WASHINGTON - Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid on Sunday pressed Republicans to support a three-month extension of emergency long-term unemployment benefits, something Republicans say they’ll support only if Democrats find a way to pay for it.

The Senate is due to vote today on whether to advance a bill sponsored by Jack Reed, D-R.I., and Dean Heller of Nevada. In addition to Heller,Reid would need four more Republican votes for the bill to get Senate approval.

Gene Sperling, President Barack Obama’s top economic adviser, said the program is critical to addressing the lingering issue of unemployment, providing emergency assistance for 1.3 million people who are still looking for work.

“That requires a full-court press,” he said on CNN’s State of the Union. “It does require more bipartisan effort to create jobs.”

“Never with unemployment like this have we even considered not extending them,” Reid, D-Nev., said on CBS’ Face the Nation. Benefits for the long-term unemployed expired Dec. 28. The program was intended to help jobless people after they exhausted state benefits, which typically last six months.

Democrats are saying that in addition to providing help for struggling job seekers and their families, the extension will boost the economy because the jobless will immediately pour the money into purchases of goods and services.

“The gross domestic product would be increased by $23 billion. It’s the right thing to do,” Reid said.

“Republicans around America want us to do something to extend these benefits,” he added. “Why? Because it’s good for the economy. It’s good for the country.”

Senate Democrats have been working to reach a compromise with Republicans on a three-month extension of benefits, which the Congressional Budget Office estimates will cost about $6.5 billion.

The extended unemployment program started in 2008 and at one point provided as many as 99 weeks of benefits - 26 weeks in most states and as many as 73 weeks in additional federally funded emergency relief. It has been renewed 11 times since it was put in place by then-President George W. Bush at the beginning of the financial crisis.

Republican leaders, including House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio, want the cost of the program offset with cuts elsewhere in the budget. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., has said the benefits serve as a disincentive for people to look for work. On Sunday, he said the legislation “needs to be paid for.”

“I’m not opposed to unemployment insurance; I’m opposed to having it without paying for it,” Paul said on ABC’s This Week.

Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., said a compromise with Democrats could center on job-creation legislation instead of dollar-for-dollar spending cuts.

“There are people who are looking for work, who need some help, so I would like to find a way to get a compromise to extend unemployment insurance, at least, for a brief period of time,” King said on Face the Nation. “The Democrats should make compromises, as far as on, you know, burdens and regulations that attempt to unleash the economy, because the ultimate answer is not unemployment insurance - the ultimate answer is more jobs,” he said.

In his weekly address Saturday, Obama promised to sign legislation extending emergency benefits, calling the lapse in support for struggling Americans “cruel” and warning that it would be a drag on the economy. He called on Congress to make the restoration of benefits a priority as lawmakers return to work this week after a winter recess.

The renewal of a “vital economic lifeline” should be their “first order of business,” Obama said.

Obama said continuing the benefits will help mothers afford to feed their children while looking for work, and assist fathers trying to get a job to learn a new skill.

“Denying families that security is just plain cruel,” Obama said.

The benefits weren’t part of a deal to fund the government for two years that Democrats and Republicans hammered out before leaving town for the holidays.

Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., forecast blowback for Republicans who do not support the effort. “They’re going to show themselves so far out of the mainstream, it’s going to hurt them in the election,” Schumer said on This Week.

“The American people support this, Democrats, Independents and Republicans,” Reid said.

Congress faces another test this month as it negotiates spending levels for each federal agency. Lawmakers have until Jan. 15 to do so.

While many lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are expressing confidence that Congress will meet that deadline, Reid said Sunday that he is “afraid” it will be missed, based on recent partisan standoffs in both chambers.

Information for this article was contributed by Jim Snyder and Heidi Przybyla of Bloomberg News and Emmarie Huetteman of The New York Times.

Front Section, Pages 1 on 01/06/2014

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