Governor Nixon has signed the jobless benefit extension bill. Missouri will get about 105-million federal dollars to underwrite checks for another 20 weeks of unemployment benefits for the state’s long-time unemployed.

Senators who had been holding it up to protest federal spending agreed to a deal late last week…and the legislature sent it to the governor yesterday.  

Nixon indicates the bill  has some shortcomings. But he says now is not the time to worry about them.  Nixon says it’s more important to guarantee another 20 weeks of benefits for Missouri’s long-term unemployed.

The state senate has voted to reduce state benefits, however from 26 weeks to 20.  Nixon says that’s worth more discussion but now is not the time to do it.

 Governor’s news conference 20:30 mp3