This past week, the House took action to ensure families hurt by the recession continue to get the assistance they need as they get back on their feet. Under the Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the pace of job loss has declined dramatically. However, because the recession was so deep and jobs are historically the last thing to rebound in a recovery, long-term unemployment continues to impact American families. To help the more than 300,000 jobless workers who are expected to run out of unemployment compensation by the end of September, the House voted to provide up to an additional 13 weeks of unemployment benefits in states with high unemployment, ensuring that Americans will be able to continue providing for their families – paying for groceries, filling their cars with gas, and making their mortgage payments on time – which also helps the economy. Today, the House passed a Continuing Resolution to ensure that all government functions may continue while Congress completes its work on appropriations bills. Next week, the House is expected to consider a conference report on the Energy and Water Appropriations bill, which contains important funding to increase energy independence and combat global warming. It is my expectation that we will begin sending other appropriations bills to the President for his signature soon. The House will also continue its work on health insurance reform legislation that provides access to affordable, quality health care to all Americans. We will also consider legislation to strengthen U.S.-Pakistan relations and help keep Americans safe by supporting our national security objectives.
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