WASHINGTON – Congress sent President Bush legislation Friday that would grant 13 weeks of emergency unemployment benefits to about 2.4 million jobless Americans, including about 11,000 Mainers who otherwise would exhaust their state aid by year’s end.

Lawmakers acted before leaving town for a weeklong holiday recess because the program was expiring May 31. The Senate’s voice vote on the House-passed bill occurred without debate. Democratic Reps. Michael Michaud and Tom Allen of Maine voted in favor of the bill in the House. Republican Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins of Maine also supported the measure.

The nation’s unemployment rate is 6 percent, almost 2 percentage points higher than when Bush took office. About 8.8 million people are out of work, victims of a struggling economy that is stuck in low gear without producing new jobs.

Meanwhile, layoffs mount. Boeing Co. announced Friday it will cut 1,150 employees as part of continuing cutbacks.

Republicans are mindful that a bleak economic outlook could be a problem next year when they try to hold the White House and Congress.

In an effort to jump-start a recovery, Congress sent Bush a $350 billion package heavy on tax cuts. Blunting Democrats’ attacks, Republicans also quickly pushed through the $7.4 billion extension of unemployment benefits.

“We’ve demonstrated that we accomplish things, not just talk about them,” said Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn.

In passing the unemployment extension, the Senate voted to approve the House bill, which had cleared the night before. By forgoing amendments, the bill will reach the president more quickly for his signature.

“In Maine, almost 11,000 unemployed workers are projected to exhaust their state and federal unemployment benefits in the next six months and more than one-quarter of these workers will have exhausted all benefits available and still be unable to find work,” said Sen. Snowe. “These uncertain economic times are especially hard hitting to families in areas like Millinocket, Old Town and Sanford, where large established employers have either closed their doors or downsized, forcing longtime workers onto the unemployment rolls.

“These workers and families need help as they try to make ends meet and provide for their families as they seek employment.”

Democrats lost another attempt Friday to provide more generous jobless benefits.

“We are not going to pass a major expansion,” said Sen. Don Nickles, R-Okla., chairman of the Senate Budget Committee. “We’re not going to do it; I’ll tell you that right now. So you can make all the speeches you want to.”

About 1 million people who have used up all their state and federal aid won’t get extra help under the plan. Democrats think Bush and Republicans are politically vulnerable because of the weak economy and continued tax cuts that they say do little to help most Americans.

“This body voted for a tax bill today that provides billions for the wealthiest and not a cent for unemployed workers – not one dime, not one nickel, not one penny for those hardworking men and women who are suffering most from the economic crisis,” said Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass.

In the bill, some jobless Americans in six states with high unemployment rates will get 26 weeks of federal benefits. Those states are Alaska, Oregon, Washington, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania.

After the House’s approval, Bush praised lawmakers for “passing an unemployment insurance extension that will continue important additional assistance for American workers as our economy recovers.”

It was the third time Congress has acted on unemployment.