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Washington — Legislation for a 90-day extension of jobless benefits for long-term unemployed Americans, including roughly 24,000 Wisconsin residents, passed a key procedural vote Tuesday in the U.S. Senate.

Approved 60-37, the motion sets up a floor debate that is expected to focus on whether the bill's costs should be offset by other spending cuts.

Wisconsin's U.S. senators — Democrat Tammy Baldwin and Republican Ron Johnson — split on the matter, with Baldwin voting yes and Johnson no.

After talking to the White House following the vote, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) seemed to leave the door open to offsetting the costs, although he personally opposes that move and would prefer to pass the three-month extension quickly.

Still, he said he was pleased six Republicans joined Democrats in moving the bill forward, and at least one of those Republicans indicated her vote might hinge on how the coming debate unfolds.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska said compassion for jobless Americans was important but extensions of the benefits cannot be unlimited.

"Instead, we need to see far more productive actions to strengthen job creation and restructure existing programs, not just ongoing safety net extensions, while seeking ways to not add to this nation's deficit," Murkowski said. "That's why I cast my vote today to have a responsible, solutions-based conversation ."

Baldwin rejected Republicans' demands for budget offsets, and said the benefits are especially important to Wisconsin.

"Restoring economic assistance for Americans who have lost their jobs and are trying to find new ones is the right thing to do, and is good for the country's economy," she said. "Wisconsin's economy continues to lag behind other states, and far too many hard-working people are still looking for a job. Now is not the time to make things harder for them by ending emergency unemployment assistance."

If Congress fails to act on extending emergency jobless benefits, she said the number of Wisconsinites expected to exhaust their state-funded benefits will grow to 99,000 this year.

Johnson was just as adamant that the bill's costs must be offset.

"I have to vote no," he said, recalling he ran for the Senate because of his concerns over the impact of the national debt on the country's future. If extending jobless benefits for the long-term unemployed is a high priority, Johnson said, lawmakers should have to come up with the $6 billion in low-priority spending to pay for the bill.

"At some point, emergency and temporary (aid) have to end," he said. Johnson said Republicans care about the long-term unemployed and want to help them find jobs through an improved economy.

House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) made a similar point, indicating that even if the bill wins approval later this week in the Senate, it faces a tough climb in the House unless its costs are offset.

Boehner agreed too many Americans remain unemployed but said the ultimate solution to joblessness is more jobs.

"One month ago I personally told the White House that another extension of temporary emergency unemployment benefits should not only be paid for, but include something to help put people back to work," he said.

In a recent appearance on CNN, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, a Republican, said extending unemployment benefits should be coupled with other legislation such as requiring job training.