WASHINGTON, DC -- The U.S. Senate today voted 60-40 to break a Republican filibuster and extend unemployment insurance benefits through November. This legislation will provide Rhode Island, which has an unemployment rate of 12%, fourth highest in the nation, with about $30 million per month in federally-funded unemployment insurance benefits, creating roughly $57 million in local economic activity.

Republican obstruction caused jobless benefits to expire on June 2nd and as a result approximately 2 million out-of-work Americans had their unemployment insurance benefits cut.

U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), who has championed and authored legislation extending this emergency aid, stated:

"This is a proven, cost-effective investment that will be a real lifeline to struggling families and will help boost Rhode Island's economy. Extending unemployment insurance is not just the right thing to do, it is a wise investment with a strong rate of return. Unemployment insurance directly boosts every state's economy, at a time when state spending is necessarily constrained. We need to do more to get our economy back on track and today's vote was a step in the right direction."

This legislation also includes a provision modeled on legislation that Senator Reed has authored to end a significant disincentive to finding work. Currently, some unemployed workers who find interim or temporary work are being unfairly penalized by receiving lower unemployment insurance benefits when they refile for their second year of benefits. This provision will fix this problem.

Final passage of the bill is expected tonight. The measure must then be approved by the U.S. House of Representatives, which is expected to take action tomorrow. The bill then goes to the President's desk to be signed into law.