Unemployment extension could take days to achieve

Because of Sen. Jim Bunning’s procedural trickery to prevent a vote on a bill to extend federal unemployment benefits, the passage of that bill — which also includes a necessary fix to Medicare, authorization for federal transportation projects and much more — will likely take until the end of this week. The Detroit Free Press reports:

Now, the Senate is likely to pass a larger package, but not until later this week.

“The net result of one senator’s objection is to put us into a procedural process that could take days,” said Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., the Senate majority whip. “It’s going to create hardship across America.”

That larger bill may well include a provision extending enhanced federal matching funds for Medicaid as well, and possibly even a boost in federal aid to states for education, both of which would be a big help to Michigan’s budget process.