NASWA down on unemployment insurance bill (Oh noooo! The Compromise!! Bipartisanship!!)

politico.com ^ | 3/19/14 | Burgess Everett

[cotton1706]

The Senate’s bipartisan unemployment insurance legislation may not be workable, according to a group of state unemployment insurance administrators.

A five-month retroactive revival of unemployment insurance benefits that Senate negotiators touted last week would “substantially increase the administrative burden on states” if signed into law, according to a letter sent to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) by the National Association of State Workforce Agencies.

The bill’s provisions “would cause considerable delays in the implementation of the program and increased administrative issues and costs. Some states have indicated they might decide such changes are not feasible in the short time available, and therefore would consider not signing the U.S. Department of Labor’s agreement to operate the program,” the letter said.

The worries by NASWA throw cold water on the Senate’s hard-fought, paid-for compromise to restore long-term jobless aid through May, bolster job-training programs and prevent millionaires from drawing unemployment benefits. After two months of failed votes and tough partisan rhetoric, five Republicans and five Democrats introduced a compromise bill Thursday that the White House endorsed and most believe can garner 60 votes to pass the Senate.

And while House leaders have been besieged with inquiries about whether the House will put the Senate’s bill to a vote, the letter makes those inquiries moot and “means that the Senate shouldn’t pass the Senate bill,” a GOP leadership aide said.

[cotton1706]

The Senate bill is nothing but a sham anyway. Because we'd have the same thing all over again in 5 months, and then again probably at Christmas (as we've had for the past several years) because it tugs on the heart strings.

People are re-entering the workforce because their money has run out...and they need to eat!

No more extensions!!

[Buckeye McFrog]

Since when has “it can’t actually be done in the real world” stopped Washington from passing a bill?

[blu]

Hey, about each state hires some of their unemployed to do all this “extra work”?