Unemployment benefits for about 10,000 Missourians expired Saturday for those who have reached their 79-week limit for coverage.
Democrats had proposed extending the benefits for another 20 weeks. But fiscal conservatives argued that the federal government is being reckless in spending money it has to borrow to expand those benefits.
Meanwhile, the Illinois Legislature and Governor Pat Quinn scrambled this week to keep unemployment benefits flowing for about 44,000 people in the state. Quinn signed legislation Thursday that without, would have ended those emergency unemployment benefits.
The federal government allowed states to change how it determines who is eligible for the benefits because of the recession. The change in eligibility makes benefits available to people for a longer period.
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