WASHINGTON, DC - Tonight the U.S. Senate voted 60-34 to beat back a Republican filibuster and move toward final passage of an extension of unemployment insurance through May 5th, and subsidies for the COBRA health insurance and federal flood insurance programs through April 30th.

Republican obstruction caused jobless benefits to expire on April 5th for at least 200,000 out-of-work Americans. Tonight Democrats needed 60 votes to invoke cloture and move the bill forward.

U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), who has championed extending this emergency aid, stated: "Rhode Island has been hit hard by high unemployment, insurance costs, and flooding. This bill is a short-term fix that will provide some measure of relief, but we need long-term solutions, and I am working hard to extend assistance to those who need it most.

"While this bill will include retroactive eligibility of benefits to compensate those who saw their benefits expire, Republicans are needlessly making this process more confusing and expensive for working families and state unemployment compensation offices.

"The non-partisan CBO notes that extending unemployment benefits is an effective economic stimulus that benefits jobless workers and provides a quick economic boost to the community as well. This emergency assistance is about easing the pain of the recession on the families, communities, and states that have been hit the hardest."

Senator Reed is also leading the effort to extend a federal waiver on interest on the amount that the state's unemployment insurance trust fund has borrowed, which is set to expire at the end of this year. This waiver will save the state money and help alleviate the tax burden on Rhode Island employers that pay into the state's unemployment insurance trust fund.

If approved by Congress, the unemployment insurance, COBRA, and National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) benefits will be made available retroactively so that there is no lapse in coverage for affected individuals and homeowners.

The NFIP expired March 28th. Until NFIP is reauthorized, many homeowners and businesses cannot get the full amount of disaster assistance loans provided by the Small Business Administration.

"Rhode Islanders already have enough economic challenges on their plate. The Republican blockade of flood insurance is a needless and avoidable obstacle to recovery. We must work together and move forward on this extension, which is long overdue," concluded Reed.

A vote on final passage is scheduled for later in the week, and will require a simple majority of 50 votes.