At an estimated price tag of more than $10 billion, U.S. Rep. Phil English said Monday he's looking to extend unemployment benefits for workers.

Funds for the measure are already locked in a federal unemployment compensation account which is not part of the general federal budget.

"I don't see why this money should sit in an account somewhere,'' said the 3rd District Republican from Erie.

English rolled out his proposal at a news conference in the Mercer County CareerLink in Sharon. With a sluggish economy and close to 75,000 unemployed Pennsylvania workers having exhausted their federal benefits, the measure would give workers help in getting back on their feet, he said.

Called the Neighbors in Need Act, it would extend benefits to workers living in states with high unemployment rates. Eligible workers would get 13 weeks of extended benefits in addition to the regular 26 weeks of benefits.

Workers who got extended benefits under a previous program would be able to secure eight additional weeks of benefits. As of Aug. 31, there were 220,000 who exhausted those benefits.

Also, the bill calls for a two-year moratorium on taxing unemployment benefits retroactive to January 2003. Taxing unemployment benefits is "just plain dumb,'' English said.

"A simple extension of unemployment compensation won't benefit them much,'' English said of the unemployed.

This is among a group of measures seeking to extend jobless benefits that's been introduced in the House of Representatives. English said he will work with other legislators to pass some kind of bill that extends those benefits.

In responding to questions of overtime pay, English said it should be allowed "to run its course.'' The Bush administration is seeking to curb the types of jobs which are eligible for overtime. House Democrats, along with a few Republicans, sought to block the move, and the issue is likely to resurface later this year. English voted for Bush's overtime rules.

"I think if we find something is unacceptable I don't think Congress will hesitate to block it,'' English said.