The Hill News

Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.) had a sardonic message for her colleagues on Tuesday when she tweeted about the stalled unemployment-benefits extension measure.

"Happy Thanksgiving!" she said. "Sorry I couldn't make it a Happy Thanksgiving for the unemployed."

The tweet linked to a statement explaining that in spite of a tradition of bipartisan support for unemployment spending, Republicans are now seeking to offset the cost of this measure before it passes.

Norton's spite, as in the tweet, was barely concealed.

"Only a Congress without any semblance of a conscience could have a happy Thanksgiving while unemployment benefits for millions of Americans expire during the Thanksgiving holiday on November 27," ! she said.

Congress recovenes on Nov. 29 and must act by the following day to ensure that those slated to receive benefits get them on time. In the past, when unable to meet similar deadlines, lawmakers were able to issue benefits retroactively.