Reid: Congress To Consider Extending Unemployment Benefits

http://www.reuters.com/article/politicsNews/idUSTRE57637920090807

Congress may extend unemployment benefits
Fri Aug 7, 2009 11:54am EDT

By Andy Sullivan


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Congress will consider extending unemployment benefits after it returns in September to help 1.5 million Americans who risk exhausting them, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said on Friday.

"Soon after Congress returns to Washington we'll need to address this matter," Reid said. "There is an economic case to be made for extending unemployment benefits."

The unemployment rate eased to 9.4 percent in July from 9.5 percent the prior month, according to Labor Department data released on Friday. It was the first time the U.S. jobless rate has fallen since April 2008.

But the number of long-term unemployed continues to rise as the country struggles with the longest recession since the Great Depression of the 1930s, and many analysts attributed the dip in July to people giving up the job hunt.

Data ranging from home sales to manufacturing have pointed to an economic revival, but the unemployment rate is expected to remain high, which could lead to an anemic recovery. Obama administration officials say they still expect the unemployment rate to reach 10 percent this year.

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http://www.reuters.com/article/politicsNews/idUSTRE57637920090807

many unemployed to ignore the need.