Image source: Bloomberg

BY ZACH TOOMBS

An estimated 1.8 million Americans are set to lose unemployment benefits in January if Congress doesn’t act soon to extend them. CNN has the story.

“The federal government supplements the 26 weeks of benefits provided by most states, allowing people up to 99 weeks of aid as long as they’re looking for work. The average weekly benefit is about $300. Under current law, people must file for extended benefits by the end of the year. President Obama wants to push back that deadline for another year.”

Traditionally, Democrats have favored extending those benefits and Republicans have resisted. But this year there seems to be more consensus, with GOP House leaders expressing support for the extension if the costs can be offset elsewhere.

And with GOP support of high-income tax cuts still a large part of the conversation in Washington, liberals, including Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, are holding their feet to the fire on the issue of unemployment benefits.

“Every poll that I have seen and that you have seen says that it is basically insane. Nobody believes that you continue to give huge tax breaks to millionaires and billionaires and then tell people who are unemployed, ‘Sorry, we cannot continue to extend unemployment (benefits).’ Nobody believes it. Republicans are on the defensive. We’ve got to keep pressing that issue.” 

Many Republicans, including presidential candidate Newt Gingrich, have voiced discontent for extending unemployment benefits but haven’t gone as far as to say they should be cut entirely. Here’s Gingrich speaking at Harvard University last month.

“We should not give people money for 99 weeks for doing nothing. It fundamentally undermines them, limits them, weakens them. And if you can’t find a job, we ought to take the time we are paying you and make sure you learn so you can actually get a job, because that way you dramatically expand human capital, but you also re-establish the work ethic.”

Even hard-line conservative Republicans like Rep. Tom Coburn of Oklahoma, who opposed extending benefits last year, have predicted the extension for unemployment benefits, along with a payroll tax cut, will pass.

Coburn told FOX News Sunday his main concern was finding money to pay for these extensions.

“Probably, they both will be extended. The question the American people aught to ask is, ‘Where is the backbone in Washington to actually pay for these extensions in the year in which the money’s spent.’ All we see coming out of Washington is promise about the future, collecting revenues to pay for expenditures today.”

The Hill reports a vote on extensions for unemployment benefits and payroll tax cuts could come as early as next week.