114th Congress

If Congress fails to extend the federal Emergency Unemployment Compensation program more than 4,900 people in Oklahoma will lose their insurance coverage immediately on Dec. 28, according to the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission. An additional 14,900 people in Oklahoma will lose their coverage in the first six months of 2014 if Republicans continue to block an extension of the program, according to Department of Labor estimates.

If Congress fails to extend the federal Emergency Unemployment Compensation program more than 1,000 people in New Hampshire will lose their insurance coverage immediately on Dec. 28, according to New Hampshire Employment Security. An additional 3,900 people in New Hampshire will lose their coverage in the first six months of 2014 if Republicans continue to block an extension of the program, according to Department of Labor estimates.

If Congress fails to extend the federal Emergency Unemployment Compensation program more than 43,000 people in Michigan are set to lose their insurance coverage immediately on Dec. 28, according to the Michigan Department of Licensing & Regulatory Affairs. An additional 86,500 people in Michigan will lose their coverage in the first six months of 2014 if Republicans continue to block an extension of the program, according to Department of Labor estimates.

NATIONAL

USA Today -- Extend unemployment benefits: "The surest way to re-employ people who lost jobs during the worst downturn since the Great Depression is for the economy to regain its feet. One way to make that less likely is to hurt more than a million people who have been struggling to find work. Congress would do well to extend benefits quickly.

Regional media throughout the nation have highlighted the harmful local impact of the Dec. 28 expiration of federal unemployment insurance. Republicans have so far blocked an extension