The White House says President George W. Bush
would quickly sign legislation to extend jobless benefits.

Congress is considering a bill that would provide up to 13
additional weeks of unemployment insurance checks for people whose
benefits have run out. A Senate could vote on the measure today.

Weekly jobless claims are at a 16-year high, and employers have
cut more than 1.2 million jobs so far this year. White House
spokeswoman Dana Perino says that has the president concerned and
eager to help.

The White House had threatened to veto a much broader stimulus
bill that included aid to help states maintain Medicaid benefits
and new spending for public works projects, in addition to the
jobless benefit extension.

Senate Republicans blocked consideration of an unemployment bill
last month, but that was before news of nearly a quarter million
layoffs in October.