US Senate Extends Jobless Benefits

The US Senate has voted in favor of extending unemployment benefits to 2.5 million Americans who have been out of work for more than six months.

The bill was passed by a margin of 59-39 with most Republicans opposing the extension. They argued that it would add unnecessarily to the federal budget deficit.

The vote ends a lengthy ordeal during which Democrats attempted several times to pass the benefits extension both as a stand-alone measure as well as part of a wider tax package.'

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