Unless Congress acts quickly, unemployment benefits will stop cold for 2 million Americans who have been jobless for 99 weeks. Benefits have already been extended well past normal lengths, but if no other extension comes, the loss of income will make the holidays sting that much harder for people unable to find work for nearly two years.

MSNBC reports Democratic efforts to extend benefits by another year were blocked by a Republican Senator concerned that the added expense of an extension would not be offset by budget cuts. Costs for jobless benefits soared to $160 billion in the last fiscal year.

Jobless benefits normally last six months, but the federal government extended them in 2007 due to the recession.

How long do you think jobless benefits should last?

Millions may lose jobless benefits as holidays loom [MSNBC]

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