House Republicans to Long-Term Unemployed: "Drop Dead"

So given their druthers, the Republicans would rather screw the long-term unemployed out of the pittance they get on unemployment. They don't put it that way, of course; they merely offer states the "option" of spending federal unemployment funding on their debt instead of unemployment benefits.

After some encouraging signs that Republicans might cooperate with them, the two House Democrats trying to give the long-term jobless extra weeks of unemployment benefits are dismayed the GOP has instead moved a bill that could take benefits away.

“Instead of acting on our bill to extend aid to unemployed workers who have exhausted their benefits, Ways and Means Committee Chairman Camp wants to gut unemployment benefits and deny millions of jobless workers the means to help make ends meet," Lee and Scott said in a statement. Camp's office declined to comment. Ways and Means will vote on Camp's bill on Wednesday.