Senator Sherrod Brown is encouraging lawmakers to extend unemployment benefits for those still actively seeking work.

Earlier this week, the House of Representatives voted to extend the benefits by 13 weeks for the states with the highest unemployment rates, as well as the District of Columbia.

Brown said he thinks the bill will clear the Senate, also.

"Over time there has been an insurance fund built up...The feds have always, in the worst economic times, have out of the federal budget come up with the money to extend this," Brown said.

The extension would only apply to states with unemployment rates above 8.5 percent, which includes both Ohio and Pennsylvania.