Casey, Specter to Vote For Obama Compromise Bill

Both Pennsylvania U.S. Senators are supporting President Obama’s tax cuts for unemployment compensation legislative deal. Democrats Bob Casey and Arlen Specter both supported the compromise measure on a procedural test vote yesterday, and say they’ll be “yeas” when the bill comes up for a final vote as soon as today.
Casey says there are aspects of the measure he doesn’t want to vote for, but argues the overall package is needed.

"As much as I can point to the estate tax provision, which I don’t like, I was open to the idea of a a two-year extension of the upper income tax brackets, as long as the middle class, middle income folks got a longer break. That probably won’t happen. So that part is hard for me to swallow."
Casey says he’s looking past aspects of the bill he doesn’t like, in order to pass what he calls critical aspects of the measure.

"You got to figure out ways to compromise. Because the key thing here – the overriding objective here is the economy and jobs. And I think this – getting this resolved and having a compromise will help on a lot of fronts."

Casey says he also supports earned income tax credits and a child tax credit in the bill, along with the extended emergency unemployment compensation.
The state’s Department of Labor and Industry is urging people whose benefits have expired to continue filing claims, so they can speed up payments if and when the bill becomes law and extended compensation goes back into effect.