Erie, Pa.  -  Today, U.S. Rep. Phil English (R-Pa.) announced jobless workers in northwestern Pennsylvania who continue to suffer from the lagging economy will receive an additional 13 weeks of unemployment insurance benefits.

“At a time when the economy is still teetering on the edge of recession and unemployment continues to climb nationwide, it only makes sense to update the unemployment safety net and ensure working families do not slip between the cracks because of layoffs,” said English, a senior member on the House Ways and Means Committee, which has jurisdiction over unemployment issues.

Earlier this year, English, along with Income Security and Family Support Subcommittee Chairman Rep. Jim McDermott (D-WA), introduced the Emergency Extended Unemployment Compensation Act, bipartisan legislation to provide immediate assistance to jobless workers.  The bipartisan measure, which enjoyed the support of key labor groups such as AFL-CIO and UAW, quickly gained traction in Congress and was brought to the House floor for a vote in June. Although, the McDermott-English initiative overwhelmingly passed the House chamber, delayed action in the Senate forced a modified version of the bill to be folded into H.R. 2642, the Supplemental Appropriations Act, which was signed into law on June 30th.

“Working families have borne the brunt of hard times and will continue to do so until our economy begins to generate new jobs,” English said. “Although this new law is not as strong as my original proposal, it will certainly go a long way in giving jobless workers in the struggling economy peace of mind that they have access to the resources they need to help them get back on their feet.”

The new law provides an additional 13 weeks of unemployment assistance for those employed at least 20 weeks in the workforce prior to separation and have exhausted state and federal benefits. English’s original proposal would have added a second 13 weeks of extended benefits for workers in states with high unemployment, at or above six percent.

“With the economy continuing to slide, it is clear that we have to act now to put the country back on a growth path,” English said.  “In the meantime, this new law will preserve benefits for those who, through no fault of their own, lost their job and provide a much-needed helping hand to displaced workers as they continue to seek new employment.”

English has emerged as a leader on the House Ways and Means Committee for extending unemployment benefits and has historically played a critical role in steering legislation to extend unemployment compensation for workers during economic downturns.  English has long been an advocate of reforming and improving the unemployment compensation system and exempting unemployment benefits from federal income taxes.                               -###-