President Bush has yet to speak out in favor of the federal unemployment benefits extension, even though much long-term unemployment lingers. It has been estimated that 760,000 jobless workers ran out of their 26 weeks of state benefits without additional aid by the end of February. The House recently approved a measure to continue the program for another six months, but an attempt to address the issue in the Senate failed. Supporters of the extension are confident that Senate Democrats will attempt to pass the measure soon.
See "Bush silent on benefits extension for jobless", T. Shawn Taylor, Chicago Tribune, March 1, 2004