RALEIGH -- The loss of long-term unemployment benefits over the holidays affected over 1,000,000 Americans, and now lawmakers in Washington are debating whether they should extend those benefits. Republican Congresswoman Renee Ellmers of North Carolina's 2nd District says before they can extend benefits, they need to find a way to pay for it.

Ellmers said, "We all want to help people. If someone loses their job, we want to make sure that they're taken care of in North Carolina. The North Carolina General Assembly and the Governor did a wonderful job when they made some changes, and they're already starting to show positive effects."

The newly-proposed bill would allow North Carolina back into the federal unemployment program it opted out of last July, the state would not be required to rejoin the program.