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Jobless Benefit Extension Expected To Pass Today

After overcoming a Republican filibuster, the U.S. Senate is expected to finally pass a bill today to extend unemployment benefits for some 2.5 million Americans.

Democrats overcame the filibuster Tuesday with the support of Maine's two Republican senators and the new senator from West Virginia. After a final Senate vote, the bill goes back to the House, which is expected to approve it today.

What does this mean for unemployed workers in Michigan?

It means the restoration of benefits for some 73,000 residents who were going to have to go without. The other bit of good news out of this is those benefits will be paid out retroactively.

With an unemployment rate of just over 13-percent, Michigan has led the nation for much of the past four years, in terms of the number of unemployed.

Copyright, 2010. All Rights Reserved, WWJ Newsradio 950.

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