Niki Kelly, The Journal Gazette

nkelly@jg.net

INDIANAPOLIS - A war of words broke out Wednesday over fixing the state's busted unemployment insurance fund when House Democrats declined to act on a bill to fix the system - ultimately punting to the Republican Senate.

"It is incredibly important for the people of Indiana that we resolve this, and we will have to act in a bipartisan way," said Senate President Pro Tem David Long, R-Fort Wayne.

"To not send us a bill is one of the more disappointing things I have seen in my tenure. We will have to do the heavy lifting."

Long also predicted that the magnitude of the problem - coupled with the inevitable partisanship related to raising business taxes or cutting benefits - could send the legislature into special session if both sides don't start working together.

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