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Chairman McDermott and Rep. English Introduce Unemployment Benefits Extension
Bipartisan Effort Would Help Over 3 Million Jobless Americans April 9, 2008
For Immediate Release

Income Security and Family Support Subcommittee Chairman Rep. Jim McDermott and Rep. Phil English, a senior Republican Member of the House Ways and Means Committee jointly introduced legislation today to extend unemployment benefits to help the American people weather the current economic downturn.

“Time is of the essence,” Rep. McDermott said.  “The equivalent of a hurricane has struck the U.S. economy and we must not repeat the mistakes of Katrina.”

“Over the past 13 years, I have been working to strengthen and improve the safety net for workers facing layoffs, and although it has been an uphill fight, we must act now on a bipartisan basis to advance policies that will strengthen the safeguards for beneficiaries through extended benefits during times of increased distress to the job market,” English said.

The legislation, called the Emergency Extended Unemployment Compensation Act, would provide immediate assistance to Americans who have lost their job through no fault of their own.
Over the last three months, the US economy has shed 232,000 jobs.  And just last month, the number of unemployed Americans increased by 434,000. 

Furthermore, the deteriorating job market is happening as long-term unemployment is already at very high levels.  1.3 million workers have been unemployed for more than six months.

Reps. English and McDermott strongly believe that the American people want Congress to act swiftly and on a bi-partisan basis.

Their legislation would:

Immediately provide up to 13 weeks of extended unemployment benefits in every State. 

Provide an additional 13 weeks (for a total of 26) in States with high unemployment (six percent or higher)

Be financed by the federal unemployment trust funds, which now have more than enough reserves to cover the cost.

Without this legislation, a projected 3 to 3.5 million Americans will exhaust their unemployment benefits without finding work.  Across America the unemployment rate is rising; nationally, the rate stands at 5.1% and leading economists believe the downturn has not yet bottomed out.

Both Chairman McDermott, whose subcommittee has jurisdiction over unemployment benefits nationwide, and Rep. Phil English first called for action to extend UI benefits in January.  Continued consensus building with Rep. Phil English led to introduction of today’s bi-partisan legislation.

“It my hope that this legislation will spur serious improvements to the safety net for unemployed workers,” English said.  “Such reform is vital to strengthening the way Congress can respond to the current slowing of the economy.”
 
Rep. McDermott said:  “The federal government is an extension of the will of the American people and there is no doubt in my mind that the American people want us to act and help their friends and loved ones weather the economic storm upon us.”

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