(RTTNews) - The Senate is expected to take the first step this week to extending unemployment insurance benefits to thousands of out-of-work Americans.

Unemployment benefits, which were initially extended under the $787 economic stimulus and recovery bill, are in danger of expiring by the end of the year and some have estimated that approximately 7,000 Americans are losing their benefits each day.

Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., said that the Senate would likely vote on a motion to proceed with the bill to limit the amount of time and amendments remaining for debate on Tuesday, with final passage expected later in the week.

The bill would extend benefits for another 14 weeks across the country, with an additional six weeks of coverage in the states with the highest unemployment rates.

Stabenow said the measure had broad support to help families keep roofs over their heads and food on the table during the difficult economic times, but she expressed frustration at parliamentary delaying tactics being employed to slow the bill's passage.

"We've seen three weeks of delay, at least, because republicans have been blocking us from taking up absolutely critical legislation to help families, who through no fault of their own find themselves in a situation where they can't find jobs," Stabenow said. "It's critical we get this done."
She added, "As we continue to see the economy begin to turn around and jobs begin to be generated, we know that we have to hang in there with families until the jobs are there."

Stabenow said it was frustrating to see Republicans attempting to attach unrelated amendments to the measure, such as cutting off federal funds to the embattled Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, better known as ACORN.

"When we see amendments like one more time amendments on ACORN, for example, we don't need to be seeing a political agenda, politics being played on this absolutely critical issue," she said. "It's up this week. We need to get it done."

Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., also spoke out in favor of swift passage of the unemployment extensions, saying, "In terms of this delay, I don't know how anyone can explain it when 7,000 Americans are losing their unemployment benefits every day."

She added, "Wall Street may have gotten a cold and is doing a little better now but Main Street got pneumonia. … It is premature to cut off these unemployment benefits for people who are still feeling the hurt from decisions that were made in places like Wall Street that had nothing to do with them."

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