WASHINGTON, Feb 28 (Reuters) - A $10 billion proposal to temporarily extend jobless benefits that stalled last week in the U.S. Senate likely will be approved, the chamber's No. 2 Republican said on Sunday.
Senator Jon Kyl told the 'Fox News Sunday' program that the measure would pass because it provides assistance for only another month.
'The question for the longer term extension is a different issue,' Kyl said.
Short-term help for unemployed workers whose benefits are ready to expire was held up last week by Republican Jim Bunning, who objected on grounds it would add to the deficit.
'All Senator Bunning was saying, quite correctly, is it ought to be paid for,' Kyl said.
'Congress just passed the so-called pay-go legislation which is supposed to require that we find offsets or other savings if we're going to spend money,' Kyl said.
Senate Democrats plan to renew efforts to pass the provision this week.
(Reporting by John Crawley; Editing by Eric Beech) Keywords: USA CONGRESS/JOBS (john.crawley@thomsonreuters.com; + 1 202 898 8340) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2010. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.
Senator Jon Kyl told the 'Fox News Sunday' program that the measure would pass because it provides assistance for only another month.
'The question for the longer term extension is a different issue,' Kyl said.
Short-term help for unemployed workers whose benefits are ready to expire was held up last week by Republican Jim Bunning, who objected on grounds it would add to the deficit.
'All Senator Bunning was saying, quite correctly, is it ought to be paid for,' Kyl said.
'Congress just passed the so-called pay-go legislation which is supposed to require that we find offsets or other savings if we're going to spend money,' Kyl said.
Senate Democrats plan to renew efforts to pass the provision this week.
(Reporting by John Crawley; Editing by Eric Beech) Keywords: USA CONGRESS/JOBS (john.crawley@thomsonreuters.com; + 1 202 898 8340) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2010. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.