Washington, DC - Congressman John D. Dingell (D-MI15) announced that he has signed on as a co-sponsor of H.R. 3548, the Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2009. This bill would extend unemployment insurance benefits for an additional 13 weeks in states where unemployment has averaged at least 8.5 percent over the last three months.
“During these tough economic times, it is important that we allow our workers some breathing room to get back on their feet,” Mr. Dingell said. “450,000 people are unemployed in Michigan right now and 100,000 of them would lose coverage if these benefits are not extended. This underscores the importance of passing the Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2009 as quickly as possible. Although 13 weeks is not a long time, it will still provide relief to Michigan workers who badly need it. I am proud to support this legislation and I will work hard to ensure its passage.”
H.R. 3548 was introduced by Congressman Jim McDermott (D-WA07) and is currently pending in the House Committee on Ways and Means.  According to the National Employment Law Project an estimated 1.5 million unemployed workers will lose their benefits without an extension.  Nearly 18,000 unemployed workers in Michigan exhausted their benefits at the end of August.

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