Illinoisans are encouraging Congress to restore federal unemployment benefits. Jay Rowell with the Illinois Department of Economic Security says unemployed people have had a difficult finding work since the benefits expired last year. Unemployment benefits were cut back in December, leaving about 74-thousand people in Illinois without benefits and struggling to find gainful employment. That number is down to about 64-thousand. The U.S. Senate voted to restore the benefits but the House hasn't followed suit.
