House Passes Unemployment Extension Without Cobra Benefits; Senate Yet to Act

On May 28, 2010, the House passed a watered-down jobs bill. It extends the extra unemployment benefits program for another six months, though those benefits have now expired as of the end of May. Very significantly, the House bill did not include an extension of the expanded COBRA program for health insurance.

The Senate has yet to act. Because the unemployment benefits have expired, unemployed workers are losing benefits right now, and will cotninue to until the Senate passes a matching bill. The N&O has this article on effects to workers in North Carolina. It is imperitive that the Senate quickly pass a bill to extend the unemployment benefits program, and include an extension of COBRA benefits. With the unemployment rate still near 11% in North Carolina, unemployed and uninsured workers cannot afford more delay from Congress.