2,000 Furloughs Linked to Impasse in Congress

The New York Times reports on the consequences of Sen. Jim Bunning (R-KY)'s blocking of a bill to extend unemployment benefits and highway construction:

The United States Department of Transportation said it furloughed 2,000 workers on Monday as a politically charged impasse over unemployment benefits interrupted spending on a handful of federal programs and escalated tensions in Congress.

With no quick resolution in sight, Democrats characterized the decision by one Republican to block the jobless aid and highway construction financing as an example of the practical consequences of regular opposition by Senate Republicans.