Hoeven Jumps On Board With Temporary Extension Of Expanded Unemployment Benefits

Yesterday Senator John Hoeven voted against beginning debate on an renewal of expanded unemployment benefits. But today Senator Hoeven is part of a coalition of Senate Republicans who want a three-month extension of the expanded benefits in exchange for restoring funding for military veterans.

A group of Republican senators plans to offer a way to pay for three more months of emergency unemployment benefits, as well as repeal recent cuts in military retiree benefits.

Their plan would pay for the changes by stopping a system that can allow illegal immigrants to claim the Additional Child Tax Credit.

“The amendment would make a simple fix to the U.S. tax code to require filers to have Social Security Numbers in order to qualify for the Additional Child Tax Credit, which the Joint Committee on Taxation estimates would save approximately $20 billion over 10 years,” according to a statement from the senators.

Sponsors include Sens. Kelly Ayotte, R-N.H., Rob Portman, R-Ohio, Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., John Hoeven, R-N.D., Roger Wicker, R-Miss., Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Lindsey Graham, R- S.C.

The one thing that may be worse than any given policy are these endless temporary extensions of policy. Agree with the expansion of unemployment benefits or not, it seems we should do one or the other. Not something temporary that creates uncertainty, and contributes to the endless warring we see in Washington DC.