The House failed to pass an extension unemployment insurance benefits for another three months Thursday afternoon. The vote was 258 to 154, short of the two-thirds needed for passage.

Republicans have sought to block the extension of benefits before, arguing that the spending should be offset by savings elsewhere.

Representative Steny Hoyer of Maryland, the Democratic majority leader, said his party will continue to push for the extension when lawmakers return on November 29. Without an extension, benefits will expire on November 30.

“Today, Republicans blocked an extension of unemployment insurance for thousands of families who have lost jobs through no fault of their own,’ Mr. Hoyer said. “As a result, they can expect their insurance to begin to run out just after Thanksgiving weekend. Republicans’ opposition to this bill was bad for families across their own districts, and worse for our economy as a whole.”

A spokesman for the incoming House speaker, Representative John Boehner of Ohio, accused Democrats of manipulating an important issue.

“Just two weeks after the election, the Democratic Leadership is playing politics with people’s unemployment benefits,” Michael Steel, Mr. Boehner’s spokesman, told Fox News.