Senate Advances Extension of Unemployment Benefits for 10,000 Missourians

Missouri families who have reached, and those nearing, the 79 week cut-off of extended unemployment benefits are one step closer to seeing those benefits continued to 99 weeks thanks to a compromise that led four senators to allow House Bill 163 to advance. Senate Leader Robert N. Mayer, R-Dexter, and Senate Majority Floor Leader Tom Dempsey, R-St. Charles, led the negotiations.

“We all share the frustration with the federal government’s continued overspending and mounting federal deficit,” said Mayer. “But, for the majority of the Senate, we believed it was important to extend benefits for Missouri families while they continue to look for work in this great recession.”

Mayer and Dempsey said the twofold compromise included a commitment from them and Senate Appropriations Chairman Sen. Kurt Schaefer, R-Columbia, to identify and work to eliminate the appropriations of $250 million of federal stimulus spending projects in Missouri.

“We have made a commitment to look at re-appropriations in the governor’s budget recommendations for House Bill 18 and identify ways we can truly reduce the spending of federal stimulus dollars in Missouri,” said Mayer.

The second part of the compromise added Senate Amendment 2 to the bill, which was adopted on a voice vote. The amendment reduces Missouri’s state share of initial unemployment benefits from 26 weeks to 20 weeks. The amendment’s sponsor, Sen. Mike Kehoe, R-Jefferson City, said the change does not affect current recipients of benefits.

“The federal government has spent Missouri businesses into an almost $1 billion debt,” said Kehoe. “Today we reduced the burden on businesses to offset the additional federal taxes that will be placed on Missouri businesses to pay-off that debt. But more importantly, this will encourage businesses to hire and expand. I have said all along that this session is about jobs, jobs, jobs, and this amendment encourages hiring and job expansion."

Dempsey had brought the bill up for debate three times prior to today’s debate. He said the reality of the benefits lapsing added pressure to reach a resolution.

“This is a real and pressing issue for more than 10,000 Missouri families now and potentially thousands more,” said Dempsey. “That is why, in the Senate, we never gave up and continued to do everything we could to get to a vote to extend the benefits. Today, that work paid off and these families are one step closer to receiving their benefits.”

A hearing is scheduled Monday in the Senate Ways and Means and Fiscal Oversight Committee. From there, the bill would return to the Senate floor for a vote. Upon approval, it returns to the House where that chamber will consider whether or not to accept changes to the bill adopted in the Senate. The House can request to go to a conference to iron out differences or choose to take up and pass the bill as amended by the Senate. Pending the House’s approval, the bill then moves to the governor’s desk for his signature.