WOTC Coalition update

The Senate Finance Committee completed markup of the EXPIRE Act extending WOTC for two years through December 31st, 2015 and creating a new target group for workers who exhaust Federal or State unemployment benefits. During markup, a few amendments were adopted, only one of them touching WOTC—an important amendment by Senator Stabenow of Michigan extending Empowerment Zones for two years was passed.Amendments to allow WOTC for all long-term unemployed workers, and to increase the WOTC benefit for hiring veterans, were dropped at the markup.

The Senate will recess on April 10th for the Spring work period and won’t return until April 28th. EXPIRE is ready to move, but whether it comes up next week or after the recess is up to the Majority Leader. We will keep you informed.