U.S. Senator Joe Manchin said
Tuesday there must be a way to pay for the reinstatement of extended
unemployment benefits.
Both Manchin and U.S. Senator Jay
Rockefeller voted with the majority Tuesday to continue the discussions about
reinstating the benefits that were cut-off for the longest unemployed Americans
at the end of 2013. A final vote in the Senate could come in a few days.
Manchin told reporters during a
conference call Tuesday afternoon that extending the benefits for three more
months would cost $6.5 billion and a full-year extension would have a $26
billion price tag. He said that can’t go on without a way to finance it.
Approximately 7,000 state residents
lost the benefits when Congress failed to renew last month.
Sen. Rockefeller said the benefits
are a safety net for families and should be reinstated.
Manchin said he continues to look
for ways to pay for the extension including the possibility of eliminating the
double payments some laid-off residents receive.
Manchin said he’s already told
Democratic leaders that he in no way would support any future extensions if the
economy is the same or better at the end of the next 90 days.
