Senate sends Bush expanded jobless benefits bill

By Richard Cowan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate on Thursday passed and sent to President George W. Bush legislation to extend jobless benefits for those who have been unemployed for a prolonged period in an economy that has been shedding jobs.

By voice vote, the Senate passed the bill that already has been approved by the House of Representatives.

Bush is expected to sign the measure into law.

The bill would give seven more weeks of government unemployment payments to workers who have exhausted their current jobless benefits. For those in states with the highest unemployment rates, an additional 20 weeks would be allowed.

States typically provide up to 26 weeks of jobless benefits. Congress enacted a 13-week extension earlier this year as the unemployed were exhausting their payments.

Congress approved another round of aid amid new signs of a worsening economy.

The government reported the number of workers filing new claims for jobless benefits last week was at its highest level in 16 years and more than 4 million people were now receiving unemployment benefits.

"We have an economy that is in peril and we want to make sure we do everything we can" to help it, said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Nevada Democrat.

The White House expressed its support for more unemployment aid.

"Because of the tight job market, the president believes it would be appropriate to further extend unemployment benefits, and he would sign the legislation now pending in Congress," said White House spokeswoman Dana Perino.

(editing by Chris Wilson)