As our Congressional leaders were patting themselves on the back Wednesday to praise their quick action on extending job benefits, we were struck by the irony.

This wasn’t new business for the new Congress.

Congress had adjourned late last year without taking any action on extending benefits &045; mainly because Democrats and Republicans couldn’t agree on a plan.

President Bush used one of his radio addresses after the session ended in December to suggest that extending benefits be the first item the new Congress take up in January.

But where was his support when efforts were being made to pass an extension last year?

The result is that thousands of families scrimped through a tight Christmas wondering where the money would come from in 2003.

While we’re sure these families are happy about the extra 13 weeks of monetary assurance, they could have used a break from the anxiety the past several days.

And lest anyone think people are just taking handouts, let’s remember that jobs are few and far between in this economy.

We hope that Congress can do something sooner and not later this time around when it comes to boosting our economy and improving the outlook for everyone, from the unemployed to the corporate CEOs.