Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD) Secretary Roberta Gassman today said the agency is ready to begin processing Unemployment Insurance (UI) payments immediately for more than 12,000 Wisconsin claimants whose benefits were interrupted until today's signing of a 13-month extension of federal benefits until January 2012.

"For Wisconsinites who are out of work through no fault of their own and receiving Unemployment Insurance, this extension is excellent news," Gassman said. "These benefits provide a critical lifeline for workers in Wisconsin and across the country as they get back on their feet during this challenging time for our nation's economy."

President Barack Obama today signed the compromise tax law legislation that continues federal UI extensions through until January 2012 and provides retroactive payments for eligible claimants back to Nov. 30, 2010.

Gassman said DWD will begin processing extension payments tonight in order to ensure that eligible claimants receive their benefits as soon as possible. Secretary Gassman said retroactive payments will be mailed on Monday, Dec. 20.

Claimants should expect to receive payment within 1 to 3 business days after DWD processes their checks.

The $858 billion compromise bill was negotiated by Vice President Joe Biden with Republican Congressional leaders, who hailed the law's extension of the Bush-era tax cuts and the higher exemptions for estate taxes.

Moments before signing the bill today, Obama called it "a substantial victory for middle-class families across the country." He said, "They are the ones hardest hit by the recession … and the ones who need relief right now."

Obama said he was signing a bill "that will protect the middle class, that will grow our economy and that will create jobs for the American people."

Wisconsin's House delegation split along party lines last night in voting on the extension of Bush era tax cuts, which passed 277-148.

GOP U.S. Reps. Tom Petri, Jim Sensenbrenner and Paul Ryan voted for the bill, while Democratic U.S. Reps. Dave Obey, Tammy Baldwin, Gwen Moore, Ron Kind and Steve Kagen voted against it.

Ryan said on the floor that the bill isn't a cure-all, but will keep the economy from worsening.

"This is not a bill that is going to turn it around," Ryan said. "Next year, let's pass the policies that will turn our economy around."

Kagen said the bill ignored pay-as-you-go rules set up to establish fiscal responsibility.

"The legislation that was passed in Congress tonight is not only irresponsible; it's un-American," Kagen said.

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