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Unemployment Help for Katrina Victims
For Immediate Release - September 14, 2005

(WASHINGTON, DC) Representative Jim McDermott (D-WA), a senior member of the House Ways and Means Committee, today introduced comprehensive unemployment benefit legislation aimed specifically at victims of Hurricane Katrina.

"This a time of national crisis and this is the time for national leadership," McDermott said, in introducing the Emergency Unemployment Compensation Act.

"This is a helping hand, not a handout. People are hurting through no fault of their own. We can and should do something about that."

McDermott's unemployment benefit legislation recognizes that claims are almost certainly going to spike as early as tomorrow when new first-time claims are released.

The Seattle Democrat's bill has three main components:

1. The federal government would cover the cost of any new unemployment claims that are disaster related;

2. Unemployment benefits in the affected region would be increased by $100 per week for the next year; and

3. Extend unemployment benefits an additional 13 weeks in the affected region.

"This legislation is a modest attempt to help people who were in Katrina's path through very difficult times," McDermott said.

McDermott urged swift passage of his unemployment relief measure. He is the Ranking Democrat on the Human Resources Subcommittee which has jurisdiction over unemployment issues.