Fitzgerald Calls For Unemployment Extension Vote

7/26/11 – Wisconsin senators will vote next Monday on the bill to extend long-term unemployment benefits to up to 40-thousand residents. Republican Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald of Juneau announced the session yesterday. And he pointed a finger at minority Democrats for playing quote, “partisan games” to hold up the benefits. Last Tuesday, Senate Democrats got Republicans to approve a maneuver on a voice vote that wiped out a one-week waiting period to receive jobless benefits after applying for them. The Assembly restored the waiting period last Wednesday – and now the Senate is scheduled to ratify the Assembly’s action. The waiting period was originally placed in the new state budget that took effect July first. The bill would free up 89-million-dollars in federal stimulus money to provide an extra 13 weeks of benefits to those who’ve used up their standard 73 weeks.