Progress Illinois

The state's unemployment troubles just keeps growing. Today, the Illinois Department of Employment Security released the October jobless rate. In just one month, it jumped from 10.5 to 11 percent, the highest level in 26 years. CBS 2 has more:

The state reported job losses in numerous industries. The trade and transportation sectors lost 1,400 jobs, and the manufacturing sector lost 800. But some sectors reported significant gains in jobs – 3,600 for educational and health services, 1,300 for professional and business services, and 1,000 for construction, according to the Department of Employment Security.

Here's our updated graph showing the comparison between the state and national unemployment figures, dating back to January 2008. It's not pretty:

For those trying to stay afloat, there is some good news to report from Washington. Roll Call (subscription required) notes that Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin and Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-ND) have been "quietly trying to write a jobs bill that the Senate can act on early next year." Durbin was a staunch advocate in the Senate fight to extend unemployment insurance through 2009, so his involvement probably increases the chances that jobless benefits will be factored into the new bill.

Just in the past week, two key Democratic leaders in Washington expressed interesting in crafting a federal jobs package that would likely extend federal unemployment insurance for workers who exhaust their benefits after December 31. But they better move quickly, as more than one million unemployed Americans are scheduled to lose their insurance sometime in January.

That figure comes via a new analysis by the National Employment Law Project (NELP), which has been crunching the unemployment numbers for months now. When the stimulus plan was approved last winter, those looking for work in Illinois were eligible to receive up to 53 weeks of federally-funded insurance, through the Emergency Unemployment Compensation program and the Extended Benefits (EB) program, on top of the 26 weeks of state-backed benefits that are always available. The legislation President Obama signed earlier this month -- deadline glitch and all -- supplied an additional 14 weeks. But the funding for all of these federal programs expires at the end of 2009. 

NELP estimates that almost 600,000 workers nationwide will lose eligibility for the next tier of benefits sometime in January. An additional 450,000 workers will exhaust their 26 weeks of states benefits. Even more frightening, the number without federal jobless benefits will balloon to nearly three million workers by March. Unless the 2009 extensions are reauthorized in some form, none of those families will be receiving any additional benefits. "Congress has less than four weeks left on its schedule to legislate this year," NELP executive director Christine Owens said in a statement, "and unless it acts to renew the unemployment provisions during this period, the clock will run out for a million workers."

Check out NELP's graph below:

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Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) has already expressed some interest in extending unemployment insurance through 2010. Now it appears that Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD) is thinking along the same lines.

In a news conference today, the House majority leader said now that his chamber has passed its own version of heath care reform, they will move onto a "jobs-creation" package. And another unemployment benefits extension is certainly in the mix, according to CongressDaily (subscription required):

Still, Hoyer said the measure would focus on public jobs, job-creation tax credits, infrastructure projects and assistance to state governments.

"There are a lot of options available," said Hoyer. "We're discussing with economic advisers as to what is the most effective, and frankly there are differences of opinion on that." He said the legislation ought to address another extension of unemployment insurance and adjustments to the health-insurance program that provides coverage to those who recently lost their jobs.

Aside from the benefit extension, it's good to see that state aid and funding for infrastructure projects are high on the priority list of House leaders.

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Ten days ago today, President Obama signed into law a federal unemployment benefits extension granting jobless benefits to unemployed Americans set to exhaust their allotted insurance by December 31, 2009. When can workers in Illinois who qualify expect their checks to arrive? We put in a call to Greg Rivara, a spokesperson at the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) late last week. He reports back that the certification of claims will begin the week of Thanksgiving. Once a claimant is deemed eligible, retroactive checks for the weeks of November 9 and November 16 will be mailed. Thanksgiving, Rivara reminds us, is a banking holiday, so no business will be conducted that Thursday.

There is also the issue of the end-of-the-year filing deadline. The bill signed by Obama earlier this month, H.R. 3548, grants an additional six weeks of unemployment aid to jobless workers who will have exhausted their benefits by the end of 2009 and live in a state with an unemployment rate at or above 8.5 percent. But because the new law treats the 20-week extension as two separate extensions (one of 14 weeks and one of six weeks) with participants required to exhaust the first 14 weeks before applying for the next six, the December 31 application deadline prevents anyone from collecting the full allotment.  (The end of the year is seven weeks away, so no one will have exhausted their initial 14 weeks by then.)

Currently, no fix has been introduced. But some members of Congress are open to the possibility of another broad unemployment extension that could address the deadline glitch and provide additional help to those who lose their insurance after the New Year. And it might be housed in the "jobs bill" Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) talked up last week, although specifics about the scope of the plan were not announced. Keep an eye out on that front.

The unemployment insurance extension signed into law by President Obama last Friday will come as a huge relief to the roughly 30,000 Illinois workers who will exhaust their benefits by the end of the year. But the legislation won't help folks whose benefits expire on or after January 1. With the jobless rate continuing to rise nationally and the broader combined measurement of unemployment and underemployment at its highest rate in decades, it's pretty clear that Americans will continue to struggle finding work and generating income.

Some members of Congress aren't sitting back on their heels. Following up on Congress Daily's piece late last week, The Hill reported yesterday that some of the same lawmakers who led the extension fight this fall now want to boost insurance through 2010:

Both Shaheen and Rep. Jim McDermott (D-Wash.), the House sponsor of the unemployment aid bill, want to provide the extra weeks of benefits to those who would see their unemployment insurance expire during any part of 2010, not just for those whose benefits end this year. [...]

"I certainly support that," said Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) last month. "We want to start creating jobs again, and we want to help people until that time happens."

While there is some hesitation from members of both parties about the cost and timing of the bill, a spokesperson for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) hinted that he's open to the idea. "Sen. Reid is going to continue to look for ways to support job creation," said Reid aide Joel Payne, "and provide relief for unemployed Americans as our job market continues to recover."

Read the full piece here.

UPDATE (3:47 PM): The Orange County Register makes a valuable but depressing catch regarding the unemployment benefit extension bill passed into law last week. As initially constructed, the legislation granted 20 weeks of unemployment insurance to jobless workers who will have exhausted their benefits by the end of the year and live in a state with an unemployment rate at or above 8.5 percent. But there's a catch. Mike Lillis synthesizes for the Washington Independent:

Because the bill was held up for so long in the Senate, an end-of-the-year filing deadline will prevent anyone from accessing the final six weeks of benefits, according to state officials and sources on Capitol Hill. On Friday, President Obama signed into law legislation extending jobless benefits by 14 weeks nationwide, with an additional six weeks for those states where unemployment rates top 8.5 percent. Those benefits kicked in on Sunday. But there’s a glitch. The new law treats the 20-week extension as two separate extensions of 14 weeks and six weeks, with participants required to exhaust the first 14 weeks before applying for the next six. However, the current law keeps a Dec. 31 application deadline, roughly seven weeks from now, making collecting the full 20 weeks impossible.

That’s not all. The emergency unemployment benefits provided beginning in 2008 are also tiered. The filing deadline applies to all tiers. That is, the new extension would effectively grandfather the unemployed into the tier where they sit at the end of December, preventing them from jumping into the next, even if they were eligible. 

In other words, the Republican obstructionism has cost even more Illinoians additional insurance. 

Right on schedule, President Obama signed into law this morning H.R. 3548, a federal extension of unemployment insurance. The bill extends jobless benefits to unemployed Americans set to exhaust their insurance by December 31 in states (like Illinois) where unemployment rates are high. According to the Illinois Department of Employment Security, 28,000 unemployed individuals have already run out of benefits and 12,000 more will by year's end. The legislation also extends through June an $8,000 tax credit for new homebuyers. In a statement following the signing, the president said the bill "will help grow our economy, help create and save jobs, and help provide necessary relief to small businesses." The Illinois AFL-CIO's Michael Carrigan agrees. From the Sun-Times:

"With Illinois' unemployment rate still over 10 percent, many families need this extension," said  president of the Illinois AFL-CIO. "For most, their unemployment check is what keeps food on the table, and as we head into winter, their homes heated. Our economy is slowly rebuilding, but until the job market rebounds we have to protect those who have lost their jobs."

But Congress might not be done.

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Twenty-seven days after they first passed an unemployment benefit extension, the U.S. House is returning to the issue today.

Following the passage of H.R. 3548 in the Senate last night, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) told reporters that he will schedule a vote on the more generous compromise forged in the Senate sometime today, which would grant 20 weeks of extra insurance to workers in high-unemployment states and 14 additional weeks everywhere else. One new point of contention is the carryback provision attached as an amendment to the bill, which allows all businesses to deduct income losses in five profitable years instead of two.  Progressive lawmakers view this an unnecessary giveaway to big business, but none are expected to peel off as a result.

Assuming that the House does pass the measure today, National Journal's Congress Daily reporter Daniel Friedman told C-SPAN viewers this morning that President Obama is "expected to sign it tomorrow."

As we post this, debate has started on the House floor.  We'll keep an eye out for the final roll call.

UPDATE (12:57 p.m.): The House is now holding a 15-minute vote on H.R. 3548.  We'll have the final roll call shortly.

UPDATE (1:20 p.m.): The House has passed the bill, with 403 members voting in favor and 12 Republicans voting nay. It's now off to the president's desk.  

UPDATE (2:30 p.m.): A statement from Rep. Phil Hare (D-IL):

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After attempting to derail the process because their counterparts would not hear a series of unrelated amendments, Senate Republicans have finally exhausted all of their options for blocking a bill extending federal unemployment insurance to jobless Americans. Moments ago, the Senate passed its third cloture vote on H.R. 3548 by a 97-1 margin. Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) was the only dissenter.

On Monday night, the Senate voted to end debate on an amendment written by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) tacking a business-friendly tax write-off benefit onto the bill. Today, the upper chamber approved the final language of the complete measure, which includes an extension of the popular $8,000 homebuyer's tax credit. In 30 hours, they can officially pass the legislation, 26 days after the House passed their own, less-generous version.

The good news is that House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) has promised that his chamber will take up the Senate bill as soon as it arrives. That's likely to happen Friday morning. Stay tuned.

UPDATE (4:40 p.m.): The Senate moved on final passage quicker than we thought.  They're currently voting.  We'll have the final vote tally shortly.

UPDATE II (4:53 p.m): The tally is in. H.R. 3548 passes by a 98-0 margin. It now will move back to the House, which is expected to take up the bill quickly.

UPDATE III (5:45 p.m.): Here is Hoyer's latest statement (via commenter "Mystic 1982"):

“I am pleased the Senate has passed legislation that is vital to Americans who have lost their jobs as a result of the deepest recession in over three-quarters of a century.  For too long, Senate Republicans blocked progress on extending unemployment insurance, which would provide immediate and tangible help to those who need it most, while also boosting our economy.  Democrats remain focused on doing everything we can to assist Americans struggling to make ends meet, and extending unemployment benefits is part of that effort.  Now that this legislation has passed the Senate, I will bring it to the House Floor for a vote as early as tomorrow.”

The legislative slog to approve an unemployment benefit extension continues. Last night, the Senate voted by an 85-2 margin for cloture on H.R. 3548. Most reporters (myself included) thought that motion limited debate for good, ensuring that a final vote on the bill could be held as early as tomorrow morning. But Republicans, who are bent on thwarting the measure, still have more one arrow in their quiver, according to Congress Daily's Peter Cohn (subscription required):

Monday's vote cut off debate on the substitute amendment from Majority Leader Reid and Finance Chairman Max Baucus adding the tax breaks to the underlying unemployment insurance bill. Another cloture vote, this time on the amended bill, could occur as late as 11:40 tonight unless Republicans yield back time or agree to vitiate cloture. Even if cloture is invoked, Republicans would have up to another 30 hours to debate, pushing final passage off until Thursday.

What's worse, the House was ready to vote on the more generous Senate version as soon passed. But the delay means that the unemployment bill must now compete for floor space with health care legislation. It's not yet clear when they will squeeze it in.

To be clear, this is a bill that has broad bipartisan support. It passed the House and both Senate cloture votes with overwhelmingly majorities. But because of the upper chamber's ridiculous supermajority requirement and a goofy procedural rule intended to save senators from actually performing filibusters, a small band of Republicans can delay legislation at will. As a result, more desperate Americans will lose out on crucial resources in this time of need.

We'll keep track of all the legislative details as they are leaked.

UPDATE (2:27 pm): Curious how many Americans have exhausted their benefits since the GOP put the breaks on H.R. 3548? The Senate Democrats have a ticker on their website. As of 2:25 pm on Tuesday, the total is about 186,000. 

UPDATE (6:03 p.m.): The Senate just adjourned today, with Sen. Dick Durbin confirming that the chamber will hold a third (and hopefully final) cloture vote at 12:15 p.m. ET tomorrow.  He had some more harsh words for his Republican colleagues:

DURBIN: How will we ever explain to the people who are struggling from day to day to feed their families while they look for a job why it took us 27, 28 days to extend unemployment benefits in the United States Senate?  … I'm glad that it appears we're going to finally move to it tomorrow -- four weeks after we started.  I don't understand how you can be for family values and not stand up for these families when they're facing the toughest challenges of their lives.

Moments ago, the Senate voted by an overwhelming majority for cloture on H.R. 3548, a federal unemployment benefit extension. While 85 lawmakers supported the procedural motion, only two Republicans -- Missouri Sen. Kit Bond and South Carolina Sen. Jim DeMint -- voted against it. (The latter, who Rep. Peter Roskam has called "grounded" and "wise," represents a state with an unemployment rate of 11.6 percent).

After weeks of wrangling over amendments (some legitimate and others not so legitimate), debate has now been brought to a close. In 30 hours, the Senate can officially hold a roll call vote on the final version of the bill. 

UPDATE (5:42 PM): Here's Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), who helped broker a deal granting unemployment insurance to all Americans who have extended their benefits, pressing her colleagues to approve the final bill: