WASHINGTON - Senate Republicans had an opportunity to provide a little more help to the nation's laid-off workers. They failed miserably - and unanimously.

On March 25, an amendment to legislation that outlines federal budget spending would have extended Unemployment Insurance benefits by six months. The amendment failed along party lines, with 51 Republicans voting against it, 48 Democrats for it, and one Dem not voting.

The vote to deny added benefits came at a time when the war with Iraq is causing uncertainty in the markets, in the midst of a recession, and when the U.S. unemployment rate stands at 5.8 percent, compared to 3.8 percent in 2000.

"As a co-sponsor of this amendment," said Michigan Sen. Carl Levin, "I was very disappointed to see it defeated on a straight party-line vote. This vote clearly shows the differences in priorities. Democrats voted for working families facing extended unemployment. Republicans voted for tax cuts for predominantly upper income folks."

Michigan's junior senator, Debbie Stabenow, said jobless benefits were not extended even though this recession "has been far worse for unemployed Americans than the recession we experienced in the early 1990s." In contrast, she said a 1991 law extended benefits five times though April 30, 1994.

Stabenow called last month's Senate vote "a terrible failure" that "does not address the needs of those hurt most by this economic downturn."