The Maine Center for Economic Policy says unless action is taken, unemployment benefits for thousands of Mainers will begin running out next week.

Maine advocates today urged passage of a federal jobs bill that would extend benefits to the unemployed. At a news conference in Portland, Christopher St. John of the Maine Center for Economic Policy said that unless action is taken soon, benefits will run out for an estimated 7,000 Mainers starting next week, and about 30,000 Mainers by November.

"And so we need our representatives and senators to do as they have done -- be leaders on this to bring the two sides of the aisle together to get the job done," he said.

St. John was joined by labor representatives and the Maine Equal Justice Partners. The bill would also extend federal assistance to state Medicaid programs for low-income Mainers.