Obama, Democrats push for extension of unemployment benefits

By Caren Bohan WASHINGTON (Reuters) – On the eve of the expiration of federal benefits for the lengthy-time period unemployed, U.S. President Barack Obama and his Democratic allies are stepping up power on Republicans to renew this system. High White House financial adviser Gene Sperling mentioned in a statement issued on Friday that a failure to resume emergency jobless benefits would harm the economic system and he urged Congress to maneuver fast to pass a short-time period extension of the help. Senate Majority Chief Harry Reid, a Democrat, has vowed to bring to a vote a bill extending federal unemployment insurance coverage advantages as quickly as Congress returns from its vacation recess on January 6. "While we stay upset that Congress didn’t heed the president's call to increase emergency unemployment benefits for subsequent yr prior to the vacations, the president as well as the Democratic congressional leadership have made clear the importance of extending the advantages instantly upon Congress's return," Sperling stated in a commentary.