By Rick Howlett and Andy FreudenburgSeveral dozen demonstrators marched outside the Louisville office of U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell today, calling on the Minority Leader and his GOP colleagues to end their filibuster of a measure that would extend federal unemployment benefits.The event was organized by the Kentucky AFL-CIO. President Bill Londrigan says thousands of laid off workers in Kentucky will be placed in a desparate situation if the impasse is not resolved soon. "Many of them (are) losing their benefits as we speak right now, and they have no jobs available for them. most of them are going to be in dire straits. We don't think it's very good public policy to be denying these unemployment insurance benefits to workers who are desparately needing them," he said.A spokesperson says McConnell is opposed to adding the cost of the extension to the federal deficit and has offered several alternatives rejected by Democrats, including a plan that would fund a two-month extension through spending cuts.Lawmakers return to Washington next week but will go into a one-month recess in early August.(Photo by Andy Freudenburg)
Rick Howlett was midday host and the host of LPM's weekly talk show, "In Conversation." He was with LPM from 2001-2023 and held many different titles, including Morning Edition host, Assignment Editor and Interim News Director. He died in August 2023. Read a remembrance of Rick here.