The US Senate did not vote to extend unemployment benefits Thursday. That means thousands of Georgians could continue to lose aid.

Both Republican senators Saxby Chambliss and Johnny Isakson didn’t support the measure to extend unemployment benefits yesterday.

They say it’s because the bill doesn’t specify where the $33 billion to fund it would come from.

Congress has been debating the issue since the last extension expired several weeks ago. Lawmakers could bring it back to the floor Monday.

In the meantime, Georgia Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond says," We project some 7,000 Georgians lose their benefits each week that Congress or at least the senate fails to act."

Thurmond, who is running for US Senate this year, says roughly a quarter of a million Georgians receive the benefits.

The state gives 26 weeks of unemployment insurance, and with the three extensions Congress has passed during the course of this recession, people can receive benefits for up to 99 weeks.

Contributors: Associated Press

Tags: Georgia Department of Labor, US Senator Saxby Chambliss, US Senator Johnny Isakson, Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond, unemployment insurance