KENNEWICK, Wash--  News of extended jobless benefits comes on the heels of sobering news-- nationwide unemployment above ten-percent.

A day after an overwhelming approval in the House, President Obama signed the $2.4 billion economic stimulus bill.

It will extend your unemployment benefits by 14 weeks and additional six weeks in states where unemployment is above 8.5 percent.

Right now, some two million are expected to be affected by this new law, but it's not yet clear how many in the Tri-Cities will see the money.

"What will happen to our understanding is once the approval is done, the individuals who are selected for the extension will receive a letter in the mail telling that at that point they'll probably start coming into their local work source offices," explains Candice Bluechel with Columbia Basin WorkSource.

The latest unemployment numbers for Benton and Franklin Counties are significantly below that 8.5 percent benchmark.  However, that could soon change.  Staff at WorkSource say updated numbers from October should be out in the coming days.