Extending Assistance for Unemployed Americans
"While 1.3 million Americans who have lost their jobs continue to go without emergency unemployment insurance, Republicans continue to obstruct, delay, and filibuster.
While House Republicans claim they want to create jobs and improve our economy, they have ignored critical legislation that would strengthen the economy.
“If, in fact, we want to help the 1.3 million people who on December 28 lost their, in efect, safety net to keep food on their table and their family intact, then [Republicans need to] offer it.
MESSAGE FROM THE DEMOCRATIC WHIP
Last month, 1.3 million Americans lost access to emergency unemployment insurance, an important program helping struggling families – including 20,000 military veterans – as they continue to search for work. While our economy is improving, too many Americans are still searching for a job and without Congressional action, an additional 72,000 Americans will lose their unemployment benefits each week. The top priorit
“I thank the Gentleman for yielding. I appreciate this opportunity to comment not only upon this rule, which provides of course for mostly closed rules, no amendments, no ability to change or modify, particularly two bills that had no hearings, went to no committees and were reported out – doing stuff that we did for 2013 almost without exception.
While Americans around the country are calling for action – with a recent poll showing 58 percent of voters support renewing emergency unemployment benefits – House Republicans are still refusing to take action to renew this assistance that expired last month for 1.3 million Americans.
“Senator [Harry] Reid has said they want to do a 90-day extension while we talk about what can be done on a longer term [basis].
“I thank the Gentlewoman from California, Barbara Lee for leading this special order and for chairing the House Democratic Whip’s Task Force on Poverty, Income Inequality, and Opportunity.
As temperatures have dropped in Washington, the heat is rising for Republicans who continue to oppose extending emergency unemployment insurance. Today’s call for action comes from the Washington Post, which also notes that an extension of UI should be followed immediately by a serious, bipartisan effort to create jobs and promote
The first priority for the 2nd session of Congress should be an extension of federal emergency unemployment insurance for people still searching for work.