Congress recently passed an $18 billion dollar bill to extend jobless benefits for those who’ve been unemployed long-term. Right after the bill was passed, President Obama signed it into law. The law is designed to help those who lost their state-paid benefits after they’ve run out. Americans can now reapply retroactively for long-term unemployment benefits under the legislation.
The bill also restores Medicare payments to doctors who were faced with a 21 percent cut and refloats the flood insurance program.
“Millions of Americans who lost their jobs in this economic crisis depend on unemployment and health insurance benefits to get by as they look for work and get themselves back on their feet,” President Obama said in a statement. “But as I requested in my budget, I urge Congress to move quickly to extend these benefits through the end of this year.”
