More on a year long extension

[daytonaman]

This article was posted on Feb 26, after the failed attempts in the Senate

http://blog.oregonlive.com/myoregon/2010/02/the_unemployment_crises_can_be_1.html

[daytonaman]

Senator Reid spoke of 2000 people who lost jobs today due to the objection last week, 1.5 million people lost Satellite TV, thousand of doctors, and all kinds of other people are losing something because of ONE Man

Bunning is asking for another way to pay for it


2 1/2 hours later, BUNNING Objects again, this is going to take the rest of the week, CAN'T BUNNING BE STOPPED?

[daytonaman]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/02/26/ron-wyden-to-block-other_n_478521.html

[Sheila]

It just amazes me that ONE MAN can do this to so many people. That it is ALLOWED!!!!!! Where the heck is our president!!!!! The buck is suppose to stop with him.

[daytonaman]

It just amazes me that ONE MAN can do this to so many people. That it is ALLOWED!!!!!! Where the heck is our president!!!!! The buck is suppose to stop with him.

Montana (D) Senator is explaining to the senate the benefits these programs provide under the bill, and what MAJOR impact America will feel if the bill is not passed.
All the unemployed should stand behind and applaud Harry Reid, Max Baucus, Dick Durbin, ect... these senators are really trying to get this passed.

6:45pm Senate is adjourned, Nothing passed, Bunning upheld his objections , A Senator from Michigan suggested we the unemployed call our senators and Bunning, and voice our opinions LOUDLY

[sc4ram]

Nancy- This may require some of your brilliant clairvoyence that you have for such matters:

I did some reading on the Florida House website and I clipped the verbiage below from their analysis of HB 7033. I find this confusing, but it may be that the Legislature is "triggering on" EB for Jan and Feb for 8 additional weeks based on some Fed funding that is available and the current high unemployment rate. It seems odd that it is for a time period that just passed. I wonder if it means that once people have exhausted their Tier lV this year they could then claim these "additional" 8 EB weeks?

These bills are on the Florida legislative calender and seem to be on the fast track (for a change) .



http://www.flsenate.gov/data/session/2010/House/bills/analysis/pdf/h7033b.FTC.pdf

In December, Congress extended from January 1 to February 28 the time that the federal government would fund 100% of state extended benefits for former private sector employees. State legislation passed in the 2009 session was written to expire with the applicable stimulus funding.



EFFECT OF PROPOSED CHANGES

Sections 1 and 2

These two sections extend the "State Extended Benefits" (EB) program, effective January 2, 2010. In December, Congress extended from January 1 to February 28 the time that the federal government would fund 100% of state extended benefits for former private sector employees. There is no cost to private employers, however, like the original extended benefits provision, reimbursing employers like state and local governments are not covered by the federal government and must pay themselves. EB will cover up to 8 additional weeks for claimants. EB is not charged to employers and has no effect on an employer’s experience rating. Approximately 15,000 Floridians would be eligible to receive additional weeks compensation through EB.

These two sections also establish the time period for state extended benefits eligibility and mirrors what was passed recently by the federal government to pay 100% of the extended benefits.



DIRECT ECONOMIC IMPACT ON PRIVATE SECTOR:

Under the provisions of the bill, in general, businesses will see a significant reduction in their current unemployment compensation tax bill as compared to current law provisions.20 However, individual employer experience will vary considerably. Regarding extended benefits, approximately 15,000 unemployed individuals in Florida who have exhausted regular benefits and the federal emergency UC benefits will be eligible for up to 8 weeks of state unemployment benefits. This will come at no cost to private employers and will not affect their contribution rates. The cost will be covered 100% by federal funds.

[Michael55]

Salon.com has a cluster of 5 or 6 Jim Bone-ing articles adjacent to each other & ALL are from late in the day on March 1. One of them has this as its final paragraph, which I hope turns out to be true [cuz it sounds like it would help the situation a lot]:

" As for the people whose unemployment benefits are due, aides in both parties say they hope that once an extension is finally approved this week (after Republicans join Democrats in voting for cloture, and shutting Bunning down), it will be made effective Monday. That would mean some complicated paperwork for federal and state bureaucrats, but it would also mean everyone gets the checks they're due. "

I HOPE that "Monday" means Mon. March 1st! [NOT next Mon.]

I've hated that Douchebag ever since He pitched a perfect game for Philly vs The Mets at Shea in 1964.

(http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2010/03/01/bunning_blame_game/index.html)

[Jeff]

Salon.com has a cluster of 5 or 6 Jim Bone-ing articles adjacent to each other & ALL are from late in the day on March 1. One of them has this as its final paragraph, which I hope turns out to be true [cuz it sounds like it would help the situation a lot]:

" As for the people whose unemployment benefits are due, aides in both parties say they hope that once an extension is finally approved this week (after Republicans join Democrats in voting for cloture, and shutting Bunning down), it will be made effective Monday. That would mean some complicated paperwork for federal and state bureaucrats, but it would also mean everyone gets the checks they're due. "

I HOPE that "Monday" means Mon. March 1st! [NOT next Mon.]

I've hated that Douchebag ever since He pitched a perfect game for Philly vs The Mets at Shea in 1964.

(http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2010/03/01/bunning_blame_game/index.html)

I read it to mean passing this week, becoming effective monday next week 3/8/10

[deetann]

Nancy- This may require some of your brilliant clairvoyence that you have for such matters:

I did some reading on the Florida House website and I clipped the verbiage below from their analysis of HB 7033. I find this confusing, but it may be that the Legislature is "triggering on" EB for Jan and Feb for 8 additional weeks based on some Fed funding that is available and the current high unemployment rate. It seems odd that it is for a time period that just passed. I wonder if it means that once people have exhausted their Tier lV this year they could then claim these "additional" 8 EB weeks?

These bills are on the Florida legislative calender and seem to be on the fast track (for a change) .



http://www.flsenate.gov/data/session/2010/House/bills/analysis/pdf/h7033b.FTC.pdf

In December, Congress extended from January 1 to February 28 the time that the federal government would fund 100% of state extended benefits for former private sector employees. State legislation passed in the 2009 session was written to expire with the applicable stimulus funding.



EFFECT OF PROPOSED CHANGES

Sections 1 and 2

These two sections extend the "State Extended Benefits" (EB) program, effective January 2, 2010. In December, Congress extended from January 1 to February 28 the time that the federal government would fund 100% of state extended benefits for former private sector employees. There is no cost to private employers, however, like the original extended benefits provision, reimbursing employers like state and local governments are not covered by the federal government and must pay themselves. EB will cover up to 8 additional weeks for claimants. EB is not charged to employers and has no effect on an employer’s experience rating. Approximately 15,000 Floridians would be eligible to receive additional weeks compensation through EB.

These two sections also establish the time period for state extended benefits eligibility and mirrors what was passed recently by the federal government to pay 100% of the extended benefits.



DIRECT ECONOMIC IMPACT ON PRIVATE SECTOR:

Under the provisions of the bill, in general, businesses will see a significant reduction in their current unemployment compensation tax bill as compared to current law provisions.20 However, individual employer experience will vary considerably. Regarding extended benefits, approximately 15,000 unemployed individuals in Florida who have exhausted regular benefits and the federal emergency UC benefits will be eligible for up to 8 weeks of state unemployment benefits. This will come at no cost to private employers and will not affect their contribution rates. The cost will be covered 100% by federal funds.

Does this apply to those who collected state benefits before Tier III?

Thanks

[sc4ram]

Deetan- I dont know, Im not comfortable enough with the breaucrat language Im reading on this. Whats odd is that the Florida press is setting records in ink comsumption reporting the Sen Bunning affair, but very little on these bills in the Fla Legislature, and what is being reported is the Unemployment tax relief for employers that is in the bills (which may reach the Gov's desk today) . You would think the enabling of additional benefits federally funded would get more press.

It seems clear that somebody will be getting a additional 8 weeks of EB, Im not sure what the specific qualifications are. I pasted some verbiage on another analysis I found on HB 7033 below: Its a bit ambigous since it references 13 weeks (the bill states up to 8 weeks)

State Extended Benefits
State extended benefits are extra benefits that can be paid to unemployed individuals after an individual’s regular benefits have run out. These benefits are only available under certain conditions; the extended benefit period is not always available. Typically, under Florida law a state extended benefits period is only triggered “on” when the rate of insured unemployment (individual unemployment rate, or IUR), not seasonally adjusted, over the preceding 13 week period equals or exceeds 5 percent and 120 percent of the average for the period. When a state extended benefit period triggers “on,” eligible individuals may receive another 13 weeks of unemployment benefits.
Individuals currently claiming benefits when the extended benefits period begins automatically receive extended benefits when they exhaust all available regular benefits. Individuals who are not in continuous reporting status or who have had intervening employment since last receiving benefits, have to apply for extended benefits so that their eligibility can be determined based on the requirements of ss. 443.091 and 443.101, F.S. Generally, eligible individuals are those persons who still meet criteria to receive regular benefits.

[sharonB]

Is there a place here to get the phone and email address so we CAN call or email Bunning? I hate politics but I'm really starting to hate this one particular man. He is NOT running for re-election so he's going out with a bang. Thing is, the way people are getting violently disgruntled, (IRS building, etc...) he better watch his back.

I am just starting my Tier IV. So there is $1650 between me and lights out in a 13 percent unemployed county... Charlotte county!

[daytonaman]

Is there a place here to get the phone and email address so we CAN call or email Bunning? I hate politics but I'm really starting to hate this one particular man. He is NOT running for re-election so he's going out with a bang. Thing is, the way people are getting violently disgruntled, (IRS building, etc...) he better watch his back.

I am just starting my Tier IV. So there is $1650 between me and lights out in a 13 percent unemployed county... Charlotte county!

E-Mail Form here: http://bunning.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.ContactForm

Address, Phone & Fax in Washington:

Washington, D.C., DC
316 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: 202.224.4343
Fax: 202.228.1373

Bunning objected again this morning, the senate is on a lunch break, they are now discussing the long term extension that Bunning claims he hopes will pass, Unemployment extensions and Cobra, ect until the end of 2010. The debate and discussion on getting these benefits passed will start again at 2:15pm on C-Span2

[Unemployed In Orlando]

Bunning just doesnt get it, even his peers are on his ass because this makes them look like the party of "fuck no".

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100302/ap_on_go_co/us_budget_impasse

[sc4ram]

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/sfl-fla-house-unemployment,0,1481390.story

[sc4ram]

http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/dcblog/2010/03/senate_takes_up_unemployment_b.html

[Unemployed In Orlando]

"Democrats have complained the bill only puts of the inevitable – and misses out on a chance to draw down more than $440 million additional compensation for the jobless by expanding the roles to mirror the new federal eligibility rules."

http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/news_politics/2010/03/house-passes-business-tax-hike-delay-117-0.html

[daytonaman]

http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/dcblog/2010/03/senate_takes_up_unemployment_b.html

Copied from above link

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE AND COBRA EXTENSIONS

Unemployment Insurance Extension. Certain unemployment insurance benefits expired on February 28, 2010. Prior to expiration, an unemployed worker could receive up to 26 weeks of unemployment benefits provided by the state in which they were employed. After the state-provided benefits were exhausted, the worker could qualify for 34 more weeks of benefits provided by the federal government. If that person was unemployed in a state with an unemployment rate above 6 percent, they qualified for an additional 13 weeks of benefits also provided by the federal government. Unemployed workers in states with an unemployment level over 8.5 percent qualified for an additional six weeks of benefits also provided by the federal government. In addition, the federal government paid 100 percent of the cost of state Extended Benefits programs which provided up to 13 additional weeks of benefits for unemployed workers who had exhausted regular state benefits or Emergency Unemployment Compensation. Last year’s economic recovery bill increased weekly unemployment benefits by an additional $25 per week. This proposal extends these provisions, including increased unemployment benefits, retroactively to March 1, 2010 through December 31, 2010. This proposal is estimated to cost $70 billion over ten years.

Extension of COBRA Premium Assistance. This proposal extends the 65-percent COBRA continuation coverage subsidy for terminated workers through December 31, 2010 and also includes technical clarifications to the program. The subsidy was originally enacted as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) and was expanded later in 2009. The proposal is estimated to cost $11.1 billion over ten years.

[sc4ram]

"Democrats have complained the bill only puts of the inevitable – and misses out on a chance to draw down more than $440 million additional compensation for the jobless by expanding the roles to mirror the new federal eligibility rules."

http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/news_politics/2010/03/house-passes-business-tax-hike-delay-117-0.html

Im sure they do complain UIO, if you recall the additional $440M has strings attached like providing benefits to part time workers and commits the Florida budget to continue to support these items into perpituity (well after the Federal funding has expired)

[sc4ram]

Maybe Sen Bunning's actions have a silver lining here, perhaps he has forced the Senate to stop extending the benefits timeline piecemeal and forced it to allow benefits claims for the remainder of the year, allowing us to worry about something else for a change. ........

[sc4ram]

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/fl-unemployment-house-20100302,0,4119743.story

[nancym]

Nancy- This may require some of your brilliant clairvoyence that you have for such matters:

I did some reading on the Florida House website and I clipped the verbiage below from their analysis of HB 7033. I find this confusing, but it may be that the Legislature is "triggering on" EB for Jan and Feb for 8 additional weeks based on some Fed funding that is available and the current high unemployment rate. It seems odd that it is for a time period that just passed. I wonder if it means that once people have exhausted their Tier lV this year they could then claim these "additional" 8 EB weeks?

These bills are on the Florida legislative calender and seem to be on the fast track (for a change) .

Actually this makes perfect sense, and though I haven't had a chance to read through all the comments here today, much less the actual bills, I think I can explain what is happening. I actually posted a hint of this back at the start of the Florida legislative session, but at that time those in charge of how the bills would be developed were so negative about any help for the unemployed (that senator in Jax who said benefits keep people from looking for work), that I didn't hold much hope for it.

If this all goes through, you can probably thank NELP, at least in part, since they had a legal advocate up there trying to get this going; I spoke with him about a month ago and he mentioned the "EB fix." I wasn't sure what that was, but I had a good guess. And now that I see the wording about 1-8 weeks, I'm quite certain of what this is.

Ok, if this thing passes (has it already now???), the state is taking advantage of the lesser-known provision of HR 3548 that extended 100% federal funding for EB. Note this is only about EB, not anything to do with federal tiers! They extended that funding til Feb 28, but that didn't matter to the state before the legislative session started here, since our state law expired Jan 2.

So we had this EB money available from the feds that was cut off effectively back in Nov by the state when EUC was extended. So when the legislature convened, it still wasn't clear how long the feds might extend that 100% helping hand (and still isn't, though it probably will go to the end of the year once they actually pass something).

So now, forced to deal with no funds and a gigantic unemployed population, the state figured the least it could do I guess was take that part of the free money that had no strings attached, like they did last April, even though it was only there for two months (so far)!

Ergo

All you guys who were cut off from EB last fall--you know who you are, the ones who had your EB subtracted from your EUC--if the wording on this bill works for you in the timeline of who's covered for which weeks--you might just be able to recoup those lost weeks, which would be anywhere from 1-8, from whenever your EB would normally have ended after Nov 8 til Dec 31.

AND, for those who never got EB to begin with, if the feds pass an extension of the 100% funding past Feb 28, AND if the state acts again (or if it's included in this bill), that may mean that all those running out of Tier 4 might just get a crack at EB--that's up to twenty weeks!

As for the rest of us, if you've already had your full EB benefits and then went on to Tier 3 and 4, this bill means nothing to you.

Note that all my comments here are made without a full reading of the bills in question yet; if I get any more info to contradict what I've just posted, I'll correct myself of course. But I just wanted to chime in on why the state took advantage of this small bit of money from the feds to "give it back" to those to whom it was originally promised. That's probably why that number of 15,000 is so low.

[sc4ram]

Thanks Nancy- That seems to make sense. The bill has passed both the House and the Senate in the Legislature and has been sent to the Gov to be signed. (to my knowlege he hasnt signed it yet, he is due to give the State of the State address this evening)

[Unemployed In Orlando]

Hot off the press :

http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/03/02/jobless.benefits.bill/index.html

Jobless benefits deal reached
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
NEW: Senators' agreement calls for two votes
Sen. Jim Bunning blocked extension of unemployment benefits last week
Republican said Congress must find a way to pay for measure
"You have made your point. ... Our economy is suffering," Harry Reid says
Washington (CNN) -- Senators have reached agreement to end Sen. Jim Bunning's filibuster of $10 billion in benefits for unemployed workers and road projects, Bunning's office and Democratic officials said.

The agreement, officials said, calls for two votes -- one on the package itself and another on a measure to pay for it, as Bunning demanded -- later Tuesday night.

Bunning and other senators have been engaged in intense back-room negotiations since the Kentucky Republican began blocking movement on the bill late last week.

The extension of unemployment benefits needed unanimous consent to pass because Democrats have labeled it an emergency spending measure. Bunning rejected a motion for unanimous consent again Tuesday morning.

Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's spokesman, Jim Manley, said Bunning had put blanket holds on all nominations pending before the Senate, but a spokesman for Bunning said he was unaware of such an action.

"Right now, the senator's number one priority is trying to reach an agreement to get this bill paid for and passed," Mike Reynard said.

Last month, Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Alabama, put a blanket hold on nominations in an attempt to secure lucrative deals for his state but later dropped it.

Bunning, who is retiring at the end of this year, has said he doesn't oppose extending the programs; he just doesn't want to add to the deficit. Democrats argue that, because it is an emergency measure, the bill should not be subject to new rules requiring that legislation not expand the deficit.

Bunning told CNN's Dana Bash that he wants the Senate to hold three votes on three potential ways to pay for the benefits package. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, said he could agree to one vote.

As a result of the Senate's inaction, many jobless people were no longer able to apply for federal unemployment benefits or the COBRA health insurance subsidy as of Monday.

Bunning's actions have created a political firestorm. On Tuesday morning, the Kentucky Republican pushed on the Senate floor for a measure that would pay the $10 billion tab out of the Democrats' previously passed $862 billion stimulus bill. He also dared Reid to hold a vote to cut off debate on the measure.

Reid rejected Bunning's motions.

"You have made your point ... [but] the majority of the Senate disagrees with you," Reid said to Bunning. The need to extend unemployment benefits is "an emergency. ... Our economy is suffering. [There are] long lines of people out of work."

Reid called Bunning's legislative maneuvering "terribly inappropriate" and "very out of line."

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs chimed in as well.

"This is an emergency situation," he said. "Hundreds of thousands have been left in the lurch. ... I don't know how you negotiate the irrational."

Maine GOP Sen. Susan Collins quickly moved to separate herself from Bunning and side with the Democratic leader, noting that the issue is "so important to senators on both sides of the aisle."

She later said Bunning's views "do not represent the majority of the Republican caucus."

"Ideally, we would offset this" spending bill, she said. "But I would support it either way because the programs are emergency programs. It's a very short-term [one month] extension."

One GOP senator who declined to be identified said Republicans are "furious" with Bunning. "This plays right into the Democratic narrative that we're obstructionist," the senator said. "We look insensitive."

"To say Bunning is not beloved is an understatement," the senator added.

House Minority Leader John Boehner, however, defended Bunning.

"He's got a legitimate argument that he's making," said Boehner, an Ohio Republican. "The Democrats just passed this legislation" requiring bills not to increase the deficit, and not even "a week after the president signed [it] into law, they want to exempt the first bill that comes across the Senate floor."

Bunning in turn called Senate Democrats "hypocritical" for recently passing rules requiring that new legislation not expand the deficit, only to turn around and push both the emergency unemployment extension and a $15 billion jobs bill that, according to Bunning, is not fully paid for.

He read a letter from a constituent in Louisville, Kentucky, praising him for deciding to "stand up to those in Congress who want to do nothing more than to spend the taxpayers' money."

"This country is sooner or later going to implode because of the massive amount of debt run up over the past 40 or 50 years," the letter said, according to Bunning. It is "sheer lunacy" to be "selling our nation's soul" to creditors such as China.

"Your stance in holding [politicians] to their words ... is a refreshing concept in an otherwise corrupt" capital.

Bunning identified the constituent only by the first name of Robert, citing security concerns.

Bash noted Tuesday that Democrats could effectively work around Bunning and pass an extension of unemployment benefits. However, she said, the Democrats "know that they have a good political issue right now [and therefore] have no plans to do that in the immediate future."

Veteran political analyst Norm Ornstein called the uproar "one of the few gifts that the Democrats have received in this post-holiday season. ... It reinforces the notion -- even though it's one guy -- of Republicans as the party of no."

Bash also noted that the GOP leadership has a poor relationship with Bunning and is therefore unable to pressure him to back down.

Federal unemployment benefits kick in after the basic state-funded 26 weeks of coverage expire. During the downturn, Congress has approved up to an additional 73 weeks, which it funds.

These federal benefit weeks are divided into tiers, and the jobless must apply each time they move into a new tier.

Because the Senate has not acted, the jobless will now stop getting checks once they run out of their state benefits or current tier of federal benefits.

iReporter: Shame on you, Sen. Bunning

That could be devastating to the unemployed who were counting on that income. In total, more than a million people could stop getting checks next month, with nearly 5 million running out of benefits by June, according to the National Unemployment Law Project.

Lawmakers have repeatedly tried to approve a 30-day extension, but each time Bunning has prevented the measure from passing.

Several other programs aside from unemployment and health benefits are also affected by the legislative spat, including federal flood insurance, satellite TV licensing, and small business loans.

The stalled bill also would provide a short-term extension of the Highway Trust Fund, which is a federal fund set up to pay for transportation projects nationwide.

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said Monday that up to 2,000 employees at the Transportation Department will be sent home without pay as a result of Bunning's decision to hold up the bill.

"As American families are struggling in tough economic times, I am keenly disappointed that political games are putting a stop to important construction projects around the country," LaHood said in a news release. "This means that construction workers will be sent home from job sites because federal inspectors must be furloughed."

According to two Democratic aides on the Senate floor Thursday night, Bunning muttered "tough s---" as Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, criticized Bunning's stance on the package.

CNN's Ed Henry, Gloria Borger, Kristi Keck, Alan Silverleib and Deirdre Walsh contributed to this report.

[daytonaman]

Senator Bunning is supporting the 30 day, and rest of year bill, He wants to make sure it is paid for, He has answers to both bills, short and long term, he has found a way for all to be paid for, Now Durbin is stating that this was offered to him last week., this is nothing more than a classroom of children, not senators

The information in the post before my post, is still under debate, conference, whatever you may call it, as of 7:31pm

The Governor of Kentucky is pleading to Bunning to stop his objection, WTF? 7:39pm

8:06pm Sen Jeff Sessions (R) Alabama has added his objection( withdraws consent), this bill will stalemate until tomorrow

[tj21121008]

now what? this 30 day crap dont do anything for us long term i sure hope once this is done we can get more help for us!!!!!!

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