Jobless bill clears first Senate vote

Proposed legislation that would restore benefits to the long-term unemployed cleared a major hurdle in the Senate Thursday, but the proposal still has a long way to go before it becomes law.

The 65-34 procedural vote in favor of the measure is the first step toward formal Senate approval, which could come as early as next week, according to multiple published reports.

However, the bill must still pass the Republican-controlled house, and Speaker John Boehner has said he’s skeptical of the bipartisan deal that would extend unemployment benefits for five months.

The benefits expired last December, and since then Senate Democrats have been trying to renew the program, with support from the Obama Administration. Lawmakers had to make several concessions to get the bill up for a procedural vote, including offsetting the cost of the extension – nearly $10 billion – and agreeing not to raise the deficit, according to the reports.

Ten Senate Republicans voted in favor of the bill during the procedural vote, indicating the proposal has strong bipartisan support. The bill would mostly help people who have been out of work for more than 26 weeks, according to the reports.