The fate of stalled jobs-related measures in both the House and Senate will occupy the attention of Congress this week.þþIn the Senate, Democrats are scheduled to begin consideration of $31 billion in corporate tax breaks and an extension of added benefits and health insurance for the unemployed through the end of the year. At the same time, they will be trying to shake loose an interim month-long benefits extension that is being held up by Senator Jim Bunning, Republican of Kentucky.þþAcross the Rotunda, the House Democratic leadership will be pushing ahead with the $15 billion jobs bill passed by the Senate last week in the hopes of getting it quickly to the president’s desk despite internal Democratic reservations.þþSenate Democrats say they intend to keep the pressure on Mr. Bunning and the Republican leadership to allow the short-term extension of unemployment benefits and other federal programs to move through the Senate and become law.þþJobless benefits began running out as of Sunday, with increasing numbers of Americans in danger of losing their coverage if the impasse is prolonged. As many as 1 million people could lose their unemployment benefits if the matter is not resolved this month.þþThe action by Mr. Bunning, who is insisting that the spending on the jobless pay not be added to the deficit, is also affecting other federal programs, including federal highway construction spending since the measure Mr. Bunning is impeding also extended the highway program. Some workers at the Department of Transportation may be furloughed since their salaries are paid out of the expired program.þþAt the same time, the Senate will on Tuesday begin debating a tax and federal aid package that includes longer extensions of the safety net programs while renewing tax breaks such as the research and development tax credit that expired at the end of last year.þþSenator Harry Reid of Nevada, the majority leader, said he will allow amendments on the measure but hopes to strike an agreement with Republicans to limit the time the Senate will spend on legislation that Democrats consider another element of their job-creating agenda. þþSenate Democrats had been hoping for quick House approval of the $15 billion package that grants employers an exemption from payroll taxes on new workers if they have been unemployed for two months.þþBut the measure came under criticism from House Democrats for the way it allocated $20 billion in highway funding, for how its costs offsets were calculated, and, from liberals, for not being ambitious enough. House leaders say they believe they have addressed the criticisms and should be able to round up the votes for the measure later this week. þ
Source: NY Times
