Inside Report (6)

High unemployment keeps costing the White House more and more.

The administration now is asking Congress for $2.3 billion to extend the benefits. Along with keeping huge amounts of taxable income out of Treasury coffers, high unemployment severely depletes state funds for jobless benefits. If approved, the funds would help more than 650,000 jobless workers who have exhausted their benefits and hundreds of thousands more who are nearing the 26 -week limit.

Congress is expected to OK the request. Democrats were already set to fight for additional funds, and many Republicans looking ahead to fall elections appear ready to join them.