Right before Christmas, President Obama signed a two-month federal unemployment benefits extension, protecting up to 10,000 Illinois workers each week from losing jobless insurance. But the calendar is moving fast. Unless the Senate joins the House and passes an additional extension before the end of the month, the National Employment Law Project estimates (PDF) that over 65,000 Illinoisans will exhaust their benefits in March. If no action is taken before the end of June, an additional 230,000 workers will be left in the cold.

The Senate is showing some signs that they are ready to move forward. While it was light on specifics, the jobs bill the caucus is aiming to pass by the end of next week will likely include some sort of extension. Thirty Senate Dems have already called for a 10-month extension while President Obama set aside $49 billion in his 2011 budget for the purpose. We just have to wait for their next move.