Thu Nov 5, 3:50 PM

Teaching materials are seen at the Foothill Employment and Training Connection Mobile Training Unit, where job seekers learn to use the Internet to find a job at the Arcadia Community Center in October 2009. With jobless numbers sky-high and year-end holidays close at hand, the US Congress passed legislation to extend unemployment benefits and expand a vastly popular tax credit for homebuyers. Photo:David Mcnew/AFP