It's not clear whether Governor Pat McCrory would make extended unemployment benefits available to North Carolinians – if Congress passes a law that would revive them nationwide. Governor McCrory would have final say on whether to accept those benefits.
A bill being debated in the U.S. Senate would give a three-month extension to those who've been unemployed for months. At a state legislative meeting, Democratic Representative Paul Tine of Kitty Hawk said he knows many of his constituents need help.
"People are hurting and our economy's slow to grow. My district has two of the poorest counties in the state, if not the country, and we've got a lot of people who're trying to get back to work and the jobs just aren't there, especially in my region." - Dem. Rep. Paul Tine.
Extended benefits in North Carolina ended after the state legislature enacted reductions in the state unemployment program last summer.