As we've repeatedly highlighted in the past week, Republicans in the Senate have been holding up efforts to extend federal unemployment benefits, attributing the delays to an internal debate over how best to fund an extension. But it turns out that the mysterious yet-to-be-released amendments that they've purportedly been working on are anything but a good-faith effort to pass H.R. 3548, which would extend an additional 14 weeks of unemployment insurance to the 1.3 million Americans who are on pace to exhaust their benefits by year's end. The Washington Independent reports:

Republicans are hoping to attach a number of amendments related to ACORN and immigration — provisions that have delayed floor action on the UI bill indefinitely, according to the offices of both Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.).

The Republican amendments include at least two provisions related to ACORN; one related to the E-Verify program; one to pay for the UI benefits with unspent stimulus money; and one providing tax relief.

At a press conference yesterday morning, a group of Senate Democrats blasted the GOP's shameless politicking at a time when jobless Americans are growing increasingly desperate for financial security.  (Download the full transcript of the presser here.)  "I would say tothe Republicans, it's time to wake up to reality," Illinois' own Sen. Dick Durbin added from the Senate floor. "We're going to stand up for these people who have become victims of this recession. Or we're going to see more people show up to the breadlines, show up at the soup kitchens, show up at the homeless shelters."  He concluded: "It's time for us to pass these benefits now.  And the Republicans had better step aside."

It was a great speech.  Watch it in full:

A few transcribed excerpts:

DURBIN: The people who are hurting out there aren't all Democrats or all Republicans. They're all Americans. And they're from all over this country. Unfortunately, we've now drifted into a status where even this has become a political issue. And I would just say to my colleagues on the Republican side of the isle who are blocking unemployment benefits for the millions of unemployed people in this county, go out and meet some of these people. [...]

I wish my Republican colleagues would sit down and meet some of these people who are unemployed. They might actually learn something. These are not lazy people. These are not people who enjoy being unemployed. These are people who are now desperate. Desperate people. [...]

What are they waiting for?... I can tell you what this comes down to. We're going to stand up for these people who have become victims of this recession. Or we're going to see more people show up to the breadlines, show up at the soup kitchens, show up at the homeless shelters.

I would say to the Republicans, it's time to wake up to reality. Don't talk about family values and rewarding work and standing up for people when you believe in them and turn down these unemployment benefits. It's time to for us to pass these benefits now. And the Republicans better step aside.