NASHUA – Danny Keating, 27, worked as a pipe-fitter, and Barbara Morris, 54, as an office manager.

Bill Merrow, 71, retired as a carpenter, but like many elderly people, would like to find a job to help make ends meet.

Though of different ages, the three are united in the belief that the U.S. Congress should extend unemployment benefits and do so without requiring recipients to undergo drug tests or obtain a GED.

Keating, Morris and Merrow were among about a dozen people who gathered for a lunch-hour protest Friday in front of the East Pearl Street office of U.S. Rep. Charles Bass, R-N.H.

The protest, organized by the New Hampshire Citizens Alliance, asked Bass to “walk in the shoes” of 2.8 million Americans who will lose unemployment benefits if Congress doesn’t extend them.

Organizers blame conservatives in Congress for “erecting barriers” between jobless Americans and benefits by attaching drug-testing and GED requirements to an extension of the benefits.

“People are jobless and losing their homes, and Congress continues to be a roadblock in getting things done,” said Olivia Zink, a community organizer. “Now they want to take away unemployment benefits for people who lost their job due to no fault of their own.”

Asked for a comment, Bass’ office released this statement:

“I voted for the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act in early December, which would have prevented raising taxes on working families during tough times and would have extended unemployment benefits for millions of Americans who are struggling to find work.

“Currently, House and Senate leadership are negotiating compromise legislation to extend the payroll tax cuts for the rest of the year, as well as extend unemployment benefits for those who need assistance.

“I look forward to reviewing the details of the compromise once an agreement is reached so we can help those looking for a paycheck and protect all workers from a tax increase.”

The Senate and House have differing bills on the question of the benefits, which will run out this month, under a two-month extension deal reached late last year.

The House version to extend them for up to 99 weeks per employee includes a 2 percent cut in the payroll tax, and it also has a provision to provide benefits to people without a high school diploma or a GED unless they can prove they’re enrolled in a high school equivalency program, as well as a requirement that some take drug tests.

Keating lost his job at the beginning of the recession.

“Everything was a hardship on workers,” the Nashua resident said. “Yet, I see the bosses raking in lots of money.”

Morris, of Concord, said she’s in danger of losing her unemployment benefits at the end of March. She has been working part-time as a marketing and sales consultant for “green” companies, but that isn’t enough.

Merrow, of Deering, built car dealerships and other buildings as a carpenter. When he retired, he worked part-time driving cars from dealership to dealership, sometimes across state lines.

It was a job he enjoyed. Now, he’ll take anything, but despite his age, he needs a job, Merrow said.

“Social Security doesn’t cut it,” he said.

Patrick Meighan can be reached at 594-6518 or pmeighan@nashuatelegraph.com.