Millions of American unemployed workers will soon lose their jobless benefits unless Congress extends the unemployment insurance program, which expires today. Republicans are opposing a plan to continue providing benefits to unemployed people who have been out of work longer than 26 weeks. Jobless benefits usually expire after six months, but since the recession took hold in 2007, Congress has voted to extend them for up to 99 weeks. Last year the unemployment program kept a record 3.3 million people from falling below the poverty line.