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A polarized Senate failed to renew emergency unemployment insurance for 1.7 million people who lost their benefits when the federal program expired at the end of December.

The vote mainly went along party line, with Democrats coming within one vote shy of the 60 vote needed to break a Republican filibuster.

Republicans are willing to vote to extend canceled unemployment benefits they just want offsetting cuts that pay for it.  Democrats refuse to accompany any restoration of benefits with any offsetting cuts.

“The real reason the Republican political leaders in the Senate want to stop unemployment benefits is they believe unemployed people are lazy,” said Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.). “They ought to get out of Washington and back to their states and meet with some of these unemployed people.”

The White House Press Secretary issued a statement, “It is disappointing that Republicans in the Senate chose to again deny emergency unemployment insurance for 1.7 million Americans who need this vital lifeline to support their families as they actively search each and every day for a job.”

Republican, Sen. James Inhofe of Oklahoma, issued a statement that said, “We can get Americans back to work and our economy booming again, but this is not achieved by Washington turning a temporary federal benefit into another welfare program.”

He was referring to the fact that, the Emergency Compensation (EUC) program was first authorized by Congress and signed into law by then President Bush in June 2008.  At the time unemployment rate was two percentage point lower then it is now.

The federal government has spent close to $300 billion dollars on extended unemployment benefits for those who have been unemployed; many of them long term.

If the extension would have passed it would cost another $6 billion dollars and extend coverage for another three months.

The question is what happens after the three months are up? What programs, job training and other areas has the government instituted to alleviate the circumstances for the long term unemployed?  

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