Assistant Secretary of Labor Phyllis Borzi told BusinessWeek Wednesday she hopes to see the COBRA subsidy program extended through the end of thisyear.

U.S. workers who involuntarily lose their jobs before April 1can claim the 65 percent subsidy and receive it for up to 15months. Congress has extended the subsidy twice since December.

"This stop and go thing," Borzi told BusinessWeek,"is what killsemployers." It's like the scene in old movies where the "lady istied to the railroad tracks. That's why it would be much simplerfor employers to administer the subsidy if the next subsidyextension were adopted before the prior extension expired."

House members have already approved legislation, extending the filing deadline throughApril 30.

Senate members, who have had to first tackle H.R. 4872 - The Reconciliation Act - after PresidentObama signed a massive health bill into law, are moving onto thepossibility of another 30-day extension of eligibility forunemployment insurance and COBRA premium reductions.

But according to POLITICO, Senate Republicans are willing to battle Democratswho are pushing for the extension without finding a way to pay forit.

Last time an extension was brought up in the Senate, it wasfaced with fierce opposition from Sen. Jim Bunning, R.-Ky. Bunningwas defeated and the measure passed.

"Leading the charge this time around will likely be Sen. TomCoburn (R-Okla.), who has built up far more goodwill with theleadership than has Bunning, the 78-year-old former Major LeagueBaseball pitcher who has a testy relationship with his home-statecounterpart, Republican Leader Mitch McConnell," writes Manu Rajufor POLITICO.

"Coburn said it's 'highly doubtful' he'd let Democrats quicklypass an extension this week to keep benefits going until May 5 - ifthe $10 billion isn't offset with spending cuts."