Casey, Specter back Obama tax deal with GOP

Both U.S. senators from Pennsylvania support President Barack Obama’s tax cuts for unemployment compensation legislative deal.Democrats Bob Casey and Arlen Specter both backed the compromise measure on a procedural test vote Monday. They said they’ll be “yeas” when the bill comes up for a final vote.Casey said there are aspects of the measure he doesn’t want to vote for, but argues the overall package is needed.”As much as I can point to the estate tax provision, which I don’t like, I was open to the idea of a a two-year extension of the upper-income tax brackets, as long as the middle class, middle-income folks got a longer break,” said Casey. “That probably won’t happen. So that part is hard for me to swallow.”Casey said he also supports earned-income tax credits and a child tax credit in the bill, along with the extended emergency unemployment compensation.The state’s Department of Labor and Industry is urging those whose benefits have expired to continue filing claims, so they can speed up payments if and when the bill becomes law and extended compensation goes back into effect.