Congressman Peter Welch, and New Hampshire’s Carol Shea-Porter and Paul Hodes voted in the House to give unemployed Americans an extra three months of jobless benefits. But the measure failed to draw enough votes to pass.
The White House had threatened to veto the plan, saying the unemployment rate has not risen high enough to justify an extension.
The unemployment rate was 5.5 percent in May. The White House said the rate is historically at or above 7 percent when extensions are granted.
The Bush administration also complained that the bill gives extended benefits to all states regardless of their unemployment rates.
Democratic leaders said they will bring the bill back for a second vote today.