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- NATION, Page 35American NotesCONGRESSCalling Bush's Bluff
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- Jobless benefits have come back to haunt George Bush -- and
- this time the President may find himself unable to worm away from
- the issue. Last week the House of Representatives passed a bill
- that would provide up to 20 extra weeks of unemployment
- compensation to the 2 million people who have run out of
- unemployment benefits since Jan. 1. Bush signed a similar bill
- last month, but it never became law because he refused to declare
- the budget emergency that was necessary for the measure to take
- effect.
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- The House passed its latest bill by a veto-proof vote of
- 283 to 125; the Senate is expected to pass the legislation by
- a similar margin. Both versions eliminate the need for the
- President to declare a budget emergency. Its enactment cannot
- come too soon for the 332,000 workers whose benefits ended in
- July (the last month for which figures are available), which is
- the largest monthly total in at least 40 years.
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