Nickles, Inhofe vote against extending unemployment benefits

(Washington-AP) -- Oklahoma Senators Don Nickles and Jim Inhofe voted against an amendment to extend federal unemployment benefits. The measure failed by two votes.<br><br>An effort by Democrats to add

Friday, February 27th 2004, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

(Washington-AP) -- Oklahoma Senators Don Nickles and Jim Inhofe voted against an amendment to extend federal unemployment benefits. The measure failed by two votes.

An effort by Democrats to add the amendment to a gun liability bill failed on a 58-to-39 vote with 60 votes needed to overcome a procedural objection.

Nickles says jobless workers have more incentive to find a job when the extra unemployment benefits end. He says the more people are paid not to work, the less inclined they are to find work.

The measure would have extended the emergency benefits to people who exhaust their state benefits -- usually after 26 weeks.