|
(Washington D.C.)- It is vital, this bill be before us, and I congratulate our Chairman and our Ranking Member for bringing it here. They and our leader have outlined the facts: almost 125 million unemployed, the highest since 1939, and about one-third have been long-term unemployed 6 months or more. In August, 27 States saw their unemployment rates increase, and 42 States saw losses in jobs.
So I urge we have three alternatives. We can say to the millions who are unemployed: get looking; get lost; or you're getting some help.
Get looking. They're looking. They're looking. It's a requirement of unemployment comp.
I want to read something that was said over the phone to us this morning. A gentleman by the name of Larry Szpanelewski from Madison Heights, Michigan, out of work since May of 2008. He has 10 weeks of benefits left, and if we don't extend it, he'll exhaust those benefits before the end of the year.
This was taken down by my office: “You know, I never thought this would happen to me. I have never been unemployed before. This economy is unlike anything I could ever imagine. I am very grateful for each extension of benefits. But I really want to get back to work. There is this misconception that people like me are sitting back and waiting for the next unemployment check. I really, really want to get back to work. I want to get back to doing my part and earning a paycheck. This unemployment is agony; it really is. I'm just waiting for the right phone call, ‘Come to work.’”
I will repeat what he said to conclude, “I am just waiting for the right phone call, Come to work.”
So I don't think this first alternative, “Get looking,” applies. He, like millions of others, are looking. Six for every job. I don't think we can say to Larry Szpanelewski or the millions of others, “Get lost.” That is not this country. So what we're saying today is, You're going to be getting some help. You've worked for it. He worked 20 years, a steelworker, and I think never unemployed before. I'm glad this is bipartisan. This needs a bipartisan response in the best traditions of this House and in the best traditions of our beloved country.
(####)
|
|
