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Senate Passes Unemployment Extension Bill

Democrats on Tuesday broke Republican-led opposition to a bill that would extend unemployment benefits to 2.5 million jobless Americans, but the vote only hardened the political divide and almost assured that any further domestic aid before November will be all but impossible.

Though the Senate reached the 60 votes needed to end a GOP filibuster and force a final vote on the legislation, prospects for the next spending bill — enabling states to avert teacher layoffs — appeared doomed.

A vote that would send the unemployment benefits legislation to the House could come as soon as Wednesday. The House is expected to pass the bill and send it to President Obama for swift approval.