WASHINGTON (AP) -- The White House is threatening a presidential veto of a House plan to extend unemployment benefits for the nation's jobless.
The House on Wednesday is expected to pass legislation that would guarantee unemployed jobseekers an extra three months of benefits on top of their regular 26 weeks. But the White House said in a statement that the unemployment rate has not risen high enough to justify an extension.
The unemployment rate was 5.5 percent in May. The White House said the rate is historically at or above 7 percent when extensions are granted.
The Bush administration also says the House bill would grant all states the extension, even though the unemployment rate is below 3 percent in some states.
