Jobless Benefits, Unemployment Benefits Extension | featured news

Republicans in the House have blocked a bill that would have extended jobless benefits for the long-term unemployed beyond the holiday season.

The Democrats' hard-won victory comes after the GOP tried to stall the $33.9-billion package for weeks. President Obama signed legislation extending unemployment benefits Thursday for 2.5 million jobless Americans, a hard-fought achievement his party will use to portray Republicans as callous to the needs of ordinary workers in a fall election campaign tied to the country's economic fate.

New U.S. claims for jobless benefits climbed more steeply than anticipated last week, according to a Labor Department report on Thursday that further underlined the drag on economic activity from persistently weak job markets.

The Senate failed to pass an extension of federal unemployment benefits last night on a vote of 58-41. The Senate's fourth attempt this month to pass an extension of federal unemployment benefits failed a cloture vote last night.

Republicans in the Senate have defeated an election-year bill to continue weekly jobless benefits for millions of long-term unemployed workers.

Measure extends unemployment benefits, renew dozens of tax credits for businesses, individuals.

The measure passes the Senate and House largely along partisan lines, with most Republicans opposed. By Richard Simon President Obama signed an extension of jobless benefits for the long-term unemployed Thursday night that will allow those whose aid ...

About one million laid-off workers will see their benefits end in January unless federally paid extensions get renewed.