House Speaker John Boehner is
facing some pressure from members of his own party over unemployment insurance. Boehner opposes a bipartisan Senate plan to extend the emergency aid for five months, but the same can't be said of all House Republicans:
Rep. Peter T. King of New York said Thursday he and Rep. Frank A. LoBiondo of New Jersey had sent a letter urging Boehner and his team to move the Senate proposal (HR 3979) or an alternative.
“We want it extended,” King said. “We respectfully request that the House immediately consider this bill or a similar measure to restore unemployment benefits to struggling Americans,” the letter said. [...]
Five Republicans besides King and LoBiondo signed the letter asking Boehner to bring something to the floor: Joe Heck of Nevada; Jon Runyan and Christopher H. Smith, both of New Jersey; and Chris Gibson and Michael G. Grimm, both of New York.
There's something else these Republicans could do if they
really wanted to build pressure for a vote on unemployment aid: They could sign a discharge petition to actually force a vote. Of course, that's crazy talk. It would mean putting the policy above party loyalty. But in the meantime, if Boehner hears from a few more Republicans, particularly ones in swing districts, that's the way to get him to shift his position enough to allow a vote.