In a victory for workers, the House and Senate successfully passed an extension to the federal Unemployment Insurance program and sent it to President Bush, who signed it on June 30. The legislation adds 13 weeks to the 26 weeks of insurance currently offered to unemployed workers.
 
The agreement required significant compromises on both sides. The Bush Administration originally opposed any benefits extension, but was undoubtedly swayed by news of growing unemployment nationwide. Congressional Democrats had favored a 26-week extension for States with unemployment rates of over six percent, as well as the elimination of a provision that workers had to have been employed for at least 20 weeks in the past year to be eligible. Unfortunately, inclusion of this provision will exclude a number of part-year workers from the extended benefits.
 
The extension comes as part of the FY 2009 war supplemental spending package, which also provides aid to States hit by recent natural disasters and expands the G.I. Bill. A rare show of bipartisanship in an election year, the bill was lauded by legislators on both sides of the aisle. In a statement, President Bush said that "the bill is a result of close collaboration between my administration and members of both parties on Capitol Hill."