Washington, DC – Legislation to restore unemployment benefits to the long-term unemployed is being blocked by House Republicans. The Senate passed a bill to reinstate jobless benefits April 7, but passage in the House is required to bring back extended unemployment insurance.

The Democratic leadership did not insist on including a benefit extension in last December’s budget compromise, giving Republicans the power to stop legislation to restore Extended Unemployment Compensation.

About 3 million workers have been denied jobless benefits since the program was allowed to expire late last December.

House Democrats are circulating a discharge petition, which if signed by a majority of House members, would force an immediate vote on the measure. To date, the discharge petition has been signed by 193 House members. The House of Representatives has 233 Republicans and 199 Democrats.

#WashingtonDC #unemploymentInsurance #Capitalism #RepublicanAgenda #ExtendedUnemploymentCompensation #workersRights