The Senate is getting ready to approve an extension of unemployment aid, which will benefits millions of Americans, after late Senator Robert Byrd’s successor Carte Goodwin voted in favor of the measure giving the Democrats the last vote needed to move ahead. The Senate voted 60-40 yesterday to end Republicans opposition who argued that the bill would add to the deficit of the federal government. The chamber will take a final vote over the measure, which needs House approval also, as soon as today.
Republicans were holding the $34 billion bill asking the government to find savings elsewhere in the budget in order to keep deficit under check. Democrats were one vote short of the 60 needed to advance the bill and they got the vote yesterday when Goodwin of West Virginia supported the measure.
“It’s such an honor to come to the United States Senate and fill the seat occupied by Senator Byrd. But to come on my first day, in my first vote and help out millions of Americans - - it’s really quite an honor,” said Goodwin, after casting the crucial vote. The 36-year-old Senator is a former aide to West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin.
Meanwhile, Republicans said they would have approved the Obama administration's measure if Democrats had agreed to find other funds to pay for it. “There’s no debate in the Senate about whether we should pass a bill -- everyone agrees that we should. This debate is about whether in extending these benefits we should add to the debt or not,” said Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican.
