A bipartisan group of 10 senators, including Oregon Democratic Sen. Jeff Merkley, reached a deal Thursday on providing extended unemployment benefits for people who have been out of work for more than six months.
The Senate deal would retroactively restore the benefits that lapsed when the aid expired on Dec. 28 amid partisan recriminations. Democrats hammered Republicans for refusing to provide continued aid while GOP senators said the Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., was unwilling to negotiate with them on an acceptable package.
The new deal — reached in a marathon negotiating session among five Democrats and five Republicans — includes concessions made by both sides. Politico said that support from Merkley and other progressives “illustrates a broad well of Democratic support for the bill, which lawmakers hope can prematurely quell any rebellion by liberals over concerns that too much was given to the GOP.”
While the deal raises the likelihood of Senate passage of the extended aid, it’s still unclear whether the House will go along the deal. Meanwhile, the White House announced its backing.
About 20,000 Oregonians have been affected by the cut-off of extended aid.
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