SENATE OKS BILL TO EXTEND AID TO JOBLESS

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, March 4, 1993                   TAG: 9303040134
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: C5   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: WASHINGTON                                LENGTH: Short
SENATE OKS BILL TO EXTEND AID TO JOBLESS
The Senate passed a $5.7 billion benefits package for the long-term unemployed Wednesday, beating back a Republican attempt to weaken the measure by linking it to spending cuts.
The 66-33 vote returns the bill to the House with President Clinton's economic program intact.
Virginia's senators split on party lines, with Republican John Warner opposing the extension of benefits and Democrat Charles Robb supporting it.
Passage came after a daylong debate in which majority Democrats defeated a GOP proposal to prohibit any new money for jobless benefits unless accompanied by cuts in other federal programs. Ten Republicans joined 56 Democrats in approving the measure; all 33 opposing were Republicans.
The bill would extend, for another seven months, the program that gives the long-term unemployed up to 26 additional weeks of benefits once they've exhausted their standard 26 weeks.

by Archana Subramaniam by CNB