CONCORD, N.H.—New Hampshire's two senators are hailing Senate passage of a bill that would extend unemployment insurance benefits to workers in every state who are in danger of seeing their benefits run out in the coming weeks.
The bill, which passed the Senate on Wednesday, will give an additional 14 weeks of benefits to jobless workers in all 50 states.
Workers in states with an unemployment rate at 8.5 percent or above would receive six weeks on top of that.
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, a Democrat who helped negotiate the deal to extend the benefits, says the bill will help nearly 2 million Americans who are unable to find work.
Republican Sen. Judd Gregg says the bipartisan action to extend the benefits was an appropriate and needed effort.
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