Updated below.

Our friends at the Coalition on Human Needs are passing around a petition to "put aside partisan games, to put aside rhetoric and enact legislation that has broad bi-partisan support – an extension of unemployment benefits and the COBRA health care subsidy through the end of 2010."

Tell the Senate: Shameful Obstruction has Cut Unemployment Benefits for 200,000 People!

Action needed NOW!

One Senator, Jim Bunning (R-KY), was able to stall Senate action so that the federal extended Unemployment Insurance program expired on February 28. More than 200,000 long-term unemployed people this week alone are losing benefits they should be getting - if Congress delays further, up to 1.2 million will lose desperately needed benefits by the end of March. (See how many have lost UI this week in your state*: http://www.nelp.org/page/-/UI/march.PR.chart.pdf?nocdn=1)

Please sign this petition to let the Senate know you think this is absolutely shameful. http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/125/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=2445

And please forward this request to everyone you know.

For background on the issue, see Gary's post from yesterday.

UPDATE: Zaid Jilani at Think Progress found this gem from 2003:

...Bunning not only voted for an unemployment extension but also put out a glowing press release lauding the extension of unemployment benefits as “hopeful news for our most needy families in Kentucky“

UPDATE II: Bunning relents, bill sent to Obama's desk