A two year, roughly $1 trillion federal spending plan is in the hands of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees. But, the bipartisanship deal that has made it’s way through both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate does not address unemployment benefits set to run out by the end of the month.
Benefits are set to expire on December 28th for about 1.3 million longterm unemployed Americans. Massachusetts U.S. Senator Edward Markey says he will work with fellow democrats to address the issue.
“I’m going to be working with other democrats to ensure that within legislation that passes in the near future that we extend those unemployment benefits,” Markey said. “We have to create a bridge for families so that they are not devastated by this extended reign of unemployment.”
The appropriations committees have until January 15th to produce a bill to prevent another government shutdown.