Bunning blames Dems for the expiration of unemployment benefits

“Before
the Senate adjourned for the Easter recess, Senate Republicans and
Senate Democrats had agreed to pass a one-week extension of
unemployment benefits that was fully paid for,” Bunning said in a
statement Monday. “Unfortunately, the House Democrat leadership said
no, and then Congress left town knowing the benefits would expire.
Earlier, Senate Democrats voted to kill a one-month extension that was
fully offset and did not add to the deficit.”

{mosads}Democrats
have said there was no deal that was finalized, and they have pinned
the blame on Republicans for blocking a swift vote on a monthlong
extension of the unemployment benefits.

Bunning in March
single-handedly blocked a quick vote on an earlier monthlong extension
of unemployment insurance, only to relent under pressure from Democrats
and some centrist Republicans. Bunning argued that the roughly $10
billion cost of the extension should have been paid for, while
Democrats said it was “emergency spending” that should be passed
quickly.

More than 200,000 unemployed workers will go without
unemployment checks they were expecting each week that Congress fails
to pass an extension of the jobless benefits program, according to the
National Employment Law Project.

Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) is
objecting to another extension as long as it isn’t paid for. Unlike
Bunning, he has strong public support from Senate GOP leaders.

Bunning
echoed Coburn’s argument that Republicans are willing to work with
Democrats to find an offset for the cost of the extension so it doesn’t
add to the $12.8 trillion federal debt.

“We could have stayed in
Washington to resolve the issue and see that these benefits are
extended and paid for, but it seems the Democrats thought it was more
important to catch their planes,” Bunning said. “I am disappointed that
the Democrats continue to play political games to avoid paying for
these benefits that are so important to the many struggling families
across our nation who rely on them to make ends meet while they search
for work. Clearly, the Democrats don’t want to help the unemployed
unless they can increase the deficit while they’re doing it.”