Yesterday, 39 House Republicans broke ranks to back a Democratic effort to provide additional benefits for jobless workers.

The amendment, offered by Rep. George Miller (D-California), was attached to HR 3030 that authorized block grants which go to local groups sponsoring programs including homeless shelters, job training, Meals on Wheels and adult literacy.

No Democrats voted against the bill.

House leadership allowed a supplemental unemployment compensation program to expire in December. The program provided 13 extra weeks of benefits for individuals who exhausted 26 weeks of state benefits.

Democrats will move this issue in the Senate by trying to attach a similar amendment to unrelated legislation. They also hope to pressure President Bush to support extended benefits. After an earlier extended benefits law expired in 2002, Bush urged the Congress to renew the program at the start of the 108th Congress, which they did extended it the program until May 31, 2003. Benefits were extended again until December 20.