President Obama has some New Year's resolution advice for Republicans: renew the emergency benefits for long-term unemployed that expired in December. Ahead of his return from vacation in Hawaii, the president said jobless benefits should be the “first order of business” and said the GOP would be “cruel” to withhold them from Americans left destitute by long-term unemployment. The benefits were provided by a 47-week emergency package that expired last month when Congress refused to include an extension in their budget. Obama said he would sign a three-month extension.