Too Late For A Short-Term Unemployment Fix?

Nearly two months after federal unemployment benefits expired, hope for a short-term restoration of jobless aid has all but disappeared on Capitol Hill. But rather than scale back their expectations, Democrats are aiming for an even more ambitious unemployment insurance package.

Despite weeks of wrangling, Senate Democrats remain still one GOP vote short to restore the federal jobless aid that expired on Dec. 28—and face an even steeper climb in the House. Their original plan had been to pass a three-month extension, then move onto a longer-term fix. But given how much time that has already passed, the focus has now shifted to a six-month or year-long restoration of benefits, according to sources familiar with the talks.

“The Dems no longer want to talk about a three-month extension because quite frankly, by the time it ever passed, it would be one lump sum retroactive check, and we’d be fighting all over again,” says Judy Conti, federal advocacy coordinator for the National Employment Law Project, who has been lobbying Congress for an extension.

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