This is especially the case now, when the city's jobless have the most pressing need for extended benefits.

Current law does provide extended benefits of up to 13 weeks, paid for equally from state and Federal funds.

The money would be paid entirely from a Federal trust fund for extended benefits that now has about $8 billion in it.

If my brother is unable to qualify for extended benefits, he will have absolutely no resources left from which to draw.

The unemployed in only three states are now eligible for extended benefits.

They say the extended benefits will allow those workers more time to seek training for new kinds of work.

If the rate is at least 6 percent, a state can choose to pay extended benefits without regard to the last two years.

The program would offer four levels of extended benefits.

If the rate was 6 percent, it could provide seven weeks of extended benefits.

The measure would pay for extended benefits by declaring the situation a budget emergency.