Unemployed Americans will receive up to 20 additional weeks of unemployment benefits under a bill passed by the Senate this week, according to CNN.

The Senate voted 98-0 Wednesday to provide continued relief to the estimated 15 million Americans currently drawing unemployment benefits. The bill provides at least 14 additional weeks of benefits, and 20 weeks in those states where unemployment is 8.5% or greater.

The bill now moves to the House, which passed a similar bill in September providing up to 13 additional weeks of benefits. President Obama has shown support for extending unemployment benefits, and is expected to sign the bill.

In the Senate bill, benefits would be extended to those who exhaust their current benefits before December 31. Those whose benefits have already run out could reapply for additional benefits.

The additional unemployment would be funded by a supplemental unemployment tax on employers that would run through June 30, 2011.

7,000 Unemployed Lose Benefits each Day

CNN reports that 7,000 unemployed workers exhaust their benefits every day. And with just 3 million jobs for 15 million unemployed (a figure that doesn't include under-employed or those who've given up on looking), that rate isn't expected to slow soon—without help.

In September, the unemployment rate reached a 26-year high at 9.8%. October's unemployment rate, due out tomorrow, isn't expected to decline. Most experts expect unemployment to crest above 10% in 2010.

Unemployment and Bankruptcy

Unemployment is also closely tied with the bankruptcy filing rate. Personal bankruptcy filings reached a four-year high in October, with 135,914 consumer filings, according to the American Bankruptcy Institute. That total is the highest since the new bankruptcy law went into effect in October, 2005.

Update: The House passed the Senate's unemployment benefit extension bill Thursday afternoon with a vote of 403-12. President Obama is expected to sign the bill Friday.

Tags: bankruptcy, Unemployment, unemployment benefits