Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, California Democrat, said Thursday that people are losing their homes because of the “indifference” of House Republicans, who will not allow a vote to extend unemployment insurance.
“Here we go again. Once again, the House Republicans have painted themselves into the far extreme,” she told reporters.
The Senate has reached a compromise on a five-month, fully offset extension of long-term unemployment benefits. Speaker John A. Boehner said Wednesday, however, that he does not support the plan, citing a letter from states saying the short-term plan may be unworkable.
“We have always said that we’re willing to look at extending emergency unemployment benefits again, if Washington Democrats can come up with a plan that is fiscally responsible, and gets to the root of the problem by helping to create more private-sector jobs,” Mr. Boehner said in a statement. “There is no evidence that the bill being rammed through the Senate by Leader [Harry] Reid meets that test.”
The Senate is expected to vote on the plan next week.
Mrs. Pelosi said Democrats have already made many concessions to Republicans, including offsetting the $10 billion plan, and that renewing the benefits will help the economy since the money is spent right away in communities.
“These people are in danger of now losing their homes, and why? Because of the extreme nature, the indifference of the House to the needs of the American people,” she said.
• Jacqueline Klimas can be reached at jklimas@washingtontimes.com.
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