CQ TODAY MIDDAY UPDATE
Sept. 17, 2009 – 1:58 p.m.
House to Consider Unemployment Benefits Extension
The House is expected to take up an unemployment benefits bill next week that would extend the available safety net for jobless workers in states hit hardest by the recession.
The measure sponsored by Rep. Jim McDermott , D-Wash., would allow 13 extra weeks of benefits for workers in states where the unemployment rate has surpassed 8.5 percent. That would come on top of the emergency extensions approved in last year’s supplemental spending bill and this year’s stimulus.
Currently, unemployed workers in all states are eligible to collect up to 46 weeks of benefit checks, and those in states where the jobless rate is at least 6 percent can collect up to 59 weeks’ worth. Jobless workers in 47 states, plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, currently qualify for longer period of benefits; Nebraska and North and South Dakota are the only states to have maintained an unemployment rate under 6 percent, according to the latest figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Workers in 26 states, plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, would qualify for an extra 13 weeks of benefits under McDermott’s bill. The cost of the additional weeks will be entirely assumed by the federal government, which is also reimbursing states for the full cost of the existing emergency benefits still being paid out.
Lawmakers were considering attaching a similar extension of eligibility to an overall renewal of the existing emergency benefits, before they expire at the end of the year.
But with about 400,000 workers expected to exhaust their eligibility this month – and some economists predicting that number might rise to 1.5 million by year’s end – lawmakers have moved to take up just the targeted extension in an accelerated fashion.
Lawmakers are expected still to renew the emergency benefits from the supplemental and stimulus bills before Dec. 31.
Comments
Next week?? WTF have they been doing since their return??? People started exhausting their benefits more than 2 weeks ago. While they were taking their vacation, I might add.
THEY DON'T WANT TO GO TO FAST ON THE BILL BECAUSE IT WON'T LAST THROUGH THE HOLIDAYS UNLESS THEY WAIT A BIT, THIS WAY IT LOOKS LIKE THEY SAVED THE DAY, AND EVERYONE THAT RUNS OUT OF BENEFITS ARE CONSIDERED AS EMPLOYED WHEN THEY TALLY THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE THAT WERE DRAWING HAS GONE DOWN...ALL IN ALL, IF WERE NOT ON THE BOOKS AS RECEIVING BENEFITS, THEY CAN'T COUNT US AS UNEMPLOYED, IT'S IMPOSSIBLE, SO IT LOOKS LIKE THE ECONOMY IS GETTING BETTER, WHEN IT'S NOT....POLITICS SUCK,,, CONGRESS NEEDS A CAP ON TERMS IN OFFICE AND THEY NEED TO DRAW SOCIAL SECURITY LIKE THEY REST OF THE POPULATION AND NOT RECEIVE FULL PAY THROUGH THEIR RETIREMENT UNTIL DEATH, THEN THE SPOUSE GETS IT...I'LL BET SOCIAL SECURITY WOULD GET FIXED IN A HURRY....
Call Nancey Pelosi office at 202-225-0100 and leave a message. The more calls they get the better. Also call 202-225-3130 and when will this bill HR3548 be put on schedule. This morning I called both and all they can say is check our website Friday evening at majorityleaders.org and see when it will be discussed again. It's not affecting congress because they have a salary and being able to provide for their love ones. However if the tables were turned it woudl of been passed a long time ago. Just call and tell others you know to call...... We must be heard and get our point across
have'nt had a penny coming in for two and a half weeks! i would rather have a job than the measley pay out of U.E. benefits. DO THESE PEOPLE THINK WE HAVE A MONEY TREE? OR A GARDEN ? SOLAR POWER? GUESS WE NEED TO GET MASKS AND GO "TAKE OURS", REALLY NO DIFFEENT THAN BIG C.E.O.S , JUST MORE simplistic.
Where are the jobs the stimulus was suppose to create ?????
Paid vacation no doubt... mine ran out and still can't find work, and without a paycheck, can't think of relocating to Nebraska or N/S Dakota where apparently there are more jobs available than southern Michigan.
I became unemployed on July 20, 2009. I thought I would have the 33 weeks of emergency benefits (hope I find a job before then) in addition to the regular 26 weeks (I live in NY). But I just found out if I became unemployed after June 15, 2009 then I AM NOT entitled to the extra benefits. Did the economy suddenly get better after June 15th???
If they talk about it next week, then it goes on to different people , where does it leave us 6 weeks without a check, how would they like to go without money for that lenght of time , get real, we have bills and no money , can we tell the bill collectors, 6 weeks , then we'll pay......
Any extension of unemployment benefits should be made on a national level and not limited to states with the highest unemployment ratings. The unemployed people of North Dakota have needs just as great as those of Michigan and are therefore equally entitled. Fair is fair! And yes... Congress needs to get off it's thumbs. This issue should have been dealt with before the summer recess. They were right there with cash in hand to bail out the banks that got us into this mess, right there to bail out Detroit whose financial crisis is rooted in years of gross mismanagement and right there to fund two wars which most believe we should not even be involved in. As for the middle class taxpayers... the workhorse of the American economy... evidently it's okay to make them wait. Good grief and yes...WTF!!!
We live in MN. My wife got her last unemployment check two weeks ago. Our unemployment figures came out today--8.0%. So, I guess we don't qualify for this extension which leaves me wondering what she's supposed to do. I don't care what the rate is in each state--for folks who still can't find work, the unemployment rate is 100% regardless of where they live. They need help, too.
I live in so.cal....and a single mom......I've gotten my last check..NOW WHAT? Sorry to the legal hispanics out there, BUT I'M GOING TO STAND OUT AT HOME DEPOT and TAKE THEIR JOBS. I'm a woman with her own tools and not afraid of hard work. Besides ladies.....think about it. How many older people need things done around the house and can't do it, aren't comfortable picking up some guy (espically the ones that can't speek english), and don't know someone to do it for them.... LADIES WITH TOOLS, LET'S CORNER THE MARKET AND KEEP A ROOF OVER OUR HEADS AND FEED OUR KIDS. AT LEAST WE'RE NOT STANDING ON FREEWAY OFF RAMPS WITH SIGNS LOOKING FOR A FREE RIDE. Who knows, as nice little business (of our own) may come of it, and we can take charge of our own destiny and future.... HOW ABOUT IT GUYS,.....WOULD ANY OF YOU HIRE ONE OF US LADIES OVER THE ILLEGALS?
They have been doing what they allways do, nothing.
They have jobs...... I lost my benefits 2 weeks ago and by the time I may start to receive it again I will be so far behind and completely stressed beyond all levels. Do they not understand we are working harder at trying to find a job than most people working at their jobs?
I hear you...I am getting my last check this week and I am depending on this extension or I will lose my house. I cant find work anywhere and the few interviews I have had there was 300 other people that applied for the same job!
Thank God! Hopefully they will change the ending date of 12/09 to 2010 as well
While us Americans that can not find jobs & are deepending on what little we get from unemployment benefits members of Congress don't have to worry about how they will keep a roof over their families heads or even put food on the table because even after they retire they continue to recieve a full salary......Wheres the justice ? Stop taking vacations and do something to help those of us who gave you your jobs!!!!!
Outrageous they still haven't done this, and now only a lousy 13 weeks? These guys expect me to vote for the again when I lost my extension on the 4th...of JULY?
The Obama Administration is only interested in getting policies passed that they are interested in. They have been back from their lovely summer vacations for ten days, and all I've heard is "Health Care". My unemployment benefits ran out two weeks ago. I'm behind on all my bills and will probably have to file for bankruptcy. I will not vote for a single incumbant at the next election. It's time we tell the mighty congress of the United States that "We the People" are tired of their "politics as usual". "Give me your tired, your poor" does not ring true in the congress of the United States.
They should extend it nation wide, luckily I live in a state which has high unemployment. Mine is to run out the end of October at least it puts a little food on the table and gas money to go on interviews and to look for jobs. Believe me I would much rather have a good paying job!
Ruth, sorry to hear you lost your job after Obama became President. Since you're not whining about Bush one can only presume that's so. Ignorant Republicans like you that neglect to accept the FACT that your boy Dubya is what put us all in this position don't deserve to vote, period. I'm surprised you have enough functioning brain cells to find your way to a polling station.
I live in MN, also, and lost my benefits at the beginning of Septemer. I have bills pilling up, my auto insurance has lapsed and I have enough money left to put gas in the car two more times - nothing else! And now it looks like we won't get an extension in MN because we fall just under the magic 8.5% mark? What the hell do these idiots in congress think we are supposed to do? I have been unemployed since Oct 2007, have applied for hundreds of jobs, have gone on so many interviews I stopped counting, and still no job. The displaced workers program I am with has told me that I am more than qualified for the positions I am seeking, but I'm too old, I turned 60 this year, therefore employers don't want to hire me. So along wih job hunting, I have returned to school to earn my national medical transcription certificate which will allow me to work from home - age won't matter. But I still need to survive while I complete school. I'd like to see those fools in congress live with no income for a couple months (or years), or see them return to school at 60 years of age. I am so worried I feel ill all the time - stress.
I live in Texas (with an 8.0% unemployment rate) and just wrote an e-mail to Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison expressing her urging Senators to include our state too, since it is the 5th on statistics for the most unemployed last month, but does not meet the 8.5% unemployment rate. I hope this bill is modified to include all states, passes the House and the Senate yesterday. I can ill afford to wait much longer. My benefits also expired in July.
I live in CT where unemployment was 8.1 in August 2009. My benefits were terminated 6 weeks ago and can not get the additional 7 weeks emergency extension because CT did not have a 3 month average of 8.0% unemployment rate. In order for CT to have qualified for the additional federal aid, unemployment had to reach 8.2% in August. Please note that this rate does not include people who have already been dropped from the "unemployed" lists. (If you are not collecting you are not counted as unemployed). Therefore these rates are not real - real unemployment is much higher. Yet, they use these false rates to determine whether people are entitled to continue getting even that small lifeline of income to put food on the table and pay some bills. Whoever, decided these rules must be clueless to the fact that a tenth of a percent point does not make a difference on the fact that people are struggling to find jobs in an economy that continuous to lose jobs - not creating new ones. Where are the 1 million jobs that our President promised while campaigning? Oh I forgot, he revised that after he was elected...he promised 600,000 during the summer,,, what happened? Instead, we lost even more jobs during the summer. But they are jumping up and down cheering the fact that we are not losing a many jobs as before. Give me and the rest of Americans a break! Americans are smerter than listening to pretty speeches about how the labor situation is improving, while national unemployment jumped to 9.7% but according to them we are supposed to be happy because we did not lose as many jobs as before. Get real, Congress and our President must think that we are really stupid. Our President is using the "Health Care Reform" to divert our attention from the labor market horrific situation. He stubbornly wants to pass Health Care Reform - here and now - he spends all his energy on this alone knowing darn well that the controversy sourrounding Health Care will distract Americans from the fact that 15-16 million of us are unemployed! And, our President keeps going on and on about Health Care Reform (like a broken record) forcing Congress' attention away from discussing and voting on extending unemployment benefits. He is trying to convince the American people that he cares so much about our health care while he and Congress have failed to ensure that the unemployed did not lose their lifeline of income. The President and Congress went on their fancy vacation while hundreds od thousands of Americans across the nation were exhausting their benefits. Who cares, right? This is an administration that should have forgone or at least postponed their vacation like many struggling Americans had to do. They should have extended the emergency benefits before the President let them go on their vacation (something that they really did not need since apparently they are on vacation the whole year, LOL!) And, now that came back, what are they doing other than taliking again non-stop about Health Care? Yeap, they are talking about that to continue the controvercy so that the media stops talking about the horrible job market and to divert people' attention once again from this issue. I feel that if someone is trying so hard to "sell" something, then there is probably something wrong with it. Please write to your representatives and remind them that Election 2010 is just arround the corner. Ask them to extend unemployment benefits immediately in ALL states with 7.0-8% unemployment rate. And to extend this until this administration starts delivering on its promises to create millions of jobs. Until that happens and until our states stop losing jobs instead of creating new ones, the President and Congress must ensure that people have their lifeline of unemployment insurance. I am 50 years old and have worked hard all my life in good paying management jobs. I have been applying even to $9.25/hr jobs without luck. I am sick and tired of hearing trhe words, "you are overqualified". Older Americans have even harder time competing for jobs in today' labor market. What are we supposed to do Mr. President and Ms. Bela Pelosi? Do you care? If you do, stop talking about Health Care Reform for a week (give it a break) and take the time to talk about the 1.5 million Americans across the nation that would exhaust their unemployment benefits this fall (it will probably get even higher if they include people who alredy lost their bernefits a long time ago and have been dropped of the counting before fall 2009). Mr. President, our priority right now is to put food on the table and pay our rent. Th last thing that I am thinking about at this moment (the worst in my life since I came to this country 30+ years ago) is Health Care Reform. This doen not mean that it is not an important issue. Stop using Health Care Reform and the controversy that sourounds it (as one can expect) in order to divert the public ipoinion from the fact that this country is in deep trouble as far as the job situation is concerned. Stop manipulating public opinion by having the media clowns cheering about Health Care while people are starving and losing their shelter (homes whether owned or rented). Your lack of priorities may end up insuring all 43 million Americans currently with no insurance while on the other hand, we will probably add some 20 million to the below poverty lever (welfare). Our Congress keeps talking about how many people are uninsured but they fail to talk about how many people are at or below the poverty line or even homeless. I guess America will be the first country that will have people sleepin on the streets but they will have health care. Give me a break once again! Give us all jobs so that we can afford to live in dignity and yes manage our own health care. People need jobs to prosper. And companies need tax incentives to start hiring people insted of Congress trying to stangle them with more healthcare and other taxes. EXTEND UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS TO ALL STATES TO ALL PEOPLE WHO HAVE EXHAUSTED THEIR LIFELINE OF UNEMPLOYMEBT BENEFITS BECAUSE OF THE HORRIFIC JOB SITUATION ACROSS THE NATION. OTHERWISE, NO ONE IN CONGRESS WILL BE RE-ELECTED BY "THE PEOPLE". WHOEVER IN CONGRESS BLOCKS THE EXTENSION OF UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS IN ALL STATES WITH 7.0-8% UNEMPLOYMENT RATE BETTER START PACKING NOW!!
Edna- yes, a louzy 13 weeks while unemployment is going up and is predicted to hit "double digits" at the national level and many individual states. And, if I may add, the 13 weeks is only going to be given to states with unemployment rate of 8.5 percent and above. In CT for example the unemployment rate in August was 8.1% (up from 7.8 in July). Therefore, we will not be able to get ANY extended benefits. Ruth- I understand how you feel. My benefits were terminated 6 weeks ago. I am behind my rent for September and have absolutely no other source of income other than some scarce agency jobs - waiting for the phone to ring for an assignement...it is pathetic. Yes, all they talk is Health Care Reform. It is done on purpose. The Obama administration knows darn well that Health Care creates controvercy and therefore a media frenzy around it. This way, they keep diverting the public opinion from the horrific job situation. In other words, the administration and Congress do not want the media to talk about the job situation, they do not want the media to focus on the fact that 1.5 million Americans will have their benefits exhausted this fall and that hundreds of thousands have already had their benefits terminated. President Obama keeps talking Health Care and is so subborn in passing it now so he can continue the controversy sourounding it. If he stopped pushing Health Care the media would shut up about it and they would focus on the fact that Obama has failed to deliver on his promise of creating new jobs. If the media was paying more attention to the labor market, kack of jobs, people losing their lifeline of unemployment benefits, the President's aproval rating would have suffered a worse blow that the one he has suffered because of Health Care. Americans however, keep fighting over Healthcare insted of sending a strong message to Washington that it is JOBS that we care about right now - not Health Care Reform. The Health Care debate is just a diversion tool to avoid the Administration having to discuss the JOBS that has NOT created even after spending zillions of dollars with that famous "stimulus money". Where are the jobs that the stimulus money was supposed to create, hah Mr. President and Ms. Bela Pelosi? By the way, I supported Hillary Clinton and then Obama in the last election. I am joining the Independnts next time around. I HOPE MIKE BLOOMBERG RUNS FOR OFFICE IN 2012. HE CAN GET THE ECONOMY STRAIGHT THAT IS FOR SURE!
Extended unemployment benefits have been a complete lifesaver for me as a long ago laid off worker classified as "older worker". My industry is essentially non-existent due to the economic quandary caused by fat cat greed mongers lining their own silk pockets. I face silent, blatant, yet enabled ageism when seeking work in American business. As a middle class taxpayer who has paid taxes her entire working life, I am AGHAST at the apparent disregard and arrogance of our government in addressing the ongoing critical issue of millions of unemployed workers unable to find jobs, essentially thanks to past actions (and non-action) of our government.. The idea of extending benefits only for states with unemployment rate of 8.5 or higher is a hugely mindless endeavor which only serves to portray some form of action, intended to somehow placate the growing angry masses. That our elected leaders cannot grasp the realities of unemployment in our country and then choose to respond and act based on conflicting and inaccurate, incomplete data which do not show the real picture - this is a travesty in America. Watch for quickly expanding tent cities and poverty in the USA.
It is my hope that Congress passes the Bill quickly, and that the State of California also acts with all deliberate speed possible. As a person whose been unemployed for 22 months, has had his home foreclosed upon, evicted from an apartment and is now living in a One-Step-From-The-Street SRO, that next check means more than I ever thought a check could possibly mean. It will mean being able to buy some food. It will mean having a roof over my head and a bed to sleep in...
I want to know why its called unemployment insurance? They took money out of every check of mine for 25 years and now they only will look back for the previous years earnings? what the hell is all that about where is all that money I paid in for all those years? Its not our fault the ecomony is like this is theirs and now were left out in the cold why they sit there with all there means met its not fare, I hope Obama can see this and will help us like he said he would. I was working every day I got sick my doctor took me off work for 2 months, and my employer could not hold my job so I lost my job, I have always worked and now I sit here so stressed out I just want to scream at these ecomimist that say Oh unemployment is keeping people from going back to work I want to say to them if that was REALLY the case why is is just now that the employment rate is worse than its ever been in 70 years, did we all just recently get lazy or something, I use to be proud to be an american but that is changing daily, We need the unemployment benefits extended and we need it like yesterday can you see that, this is not rockey science ya know
Don't count on Mike Bloomberg, as a NY'er I can tell you he only cares about his rich friends, he has done nothing for the middle class or poor people of the city. By the way NYC unemployment rate is 10.3%, and NYS is 8.7%, so all those brainiacs in govt have done nothing for us.
Any phone numbers/emails out there we can complain to ? We need to unite as those against healthcare have.
This is crazy, we all must unite. I cant believe they are taking so long to approve this already. I want more information, we must all complain. Ive had so many interviews and nothing due to the fact they have hundreds of people applying for the same job.
How do I tell my 2 year old and 10 year old we cannot buy food???? Congress people have your kids asked you for food and you didnt have anything to give to them. Do something fast we Americans are in need and promptly dont waste more time put yourself in our shoes
I hear you but to politicians we are just #s , I live in chicago where the unemployment rate is currently 10.5% , I ran uot of my benefits this week , but i just don't care anymore because 13 weeks isn't going to make a whole lot of a difference it's just going to extend the inevitable and sorry for saying this but I agree with some experts that say the economy is going to rebound after the stimulus ends and it's going to get alot worse.
Please vote soon I like thousands of other amaricans will loose everything that I have ever worked for soon if nothing is done keep the calls and emails going good luck to everyone
What they should do it take all the Bonuses the bank CEOs and Insurance CEO's get and pass those around to everyone. That way we all have a slight handup in our situation instead of those greedy White Collar Jerks who don't have enough with a 2 million dollar a month salary they need to opt for a 3 billion dollar bonus!!!!!!!
My benefits run out next week and I have been unemployed since Jan. 2008. Hundreds of resumes, interviews, etc. and I cannot even get a job at a grocery store or bix box store. Being in Florida where unemployment is out of control I was lucky to qualify for 79 weeks and I am praying this extension is passed quickly and implemented immediately. I ahve worked since I got a paper route at age 12. Now at 51, with nothing but a stellar work record and performance reviews it is obvious I am being discriminated against because of my. One on-line application for DirecTV installer even asked you to put your birthdate in the system if you were under 40. When I did not put a birthdate as that is not what they were asking those over 40 to do, the next screen told me the position that I was applying was no longer available but thanks anyway. When I went to their website, though, day after day for a week, it was still posted. I know the outcome would have been different for a 30 year old but how can you prove it - especially when you are COMPLETELY BROKE!!!
I can not believe this. I just checked all the news and nothing yet. They are still talkin about it in the House. Figures, they are ispired by... Bela Pelossi! Unless we all start doing something about this (like some of you suggested) they will be talking about thia for ever before they vote. Then it has to go to the Senate where it may get stuck also. By the time the two bodies agree on a bill it will be Thanksgiving or Christmas, mark my words. Please go online and blast the media for not making this a priority. Tell all these morons at CNN, FOX, MSNBC, CBS, ABC to shut up about Healthcare Reform and start asking questions about the job situation and the extension of benefits. Congress will do NOTHING unless the media starts making it a headline. So far we are not on top of their agenda. Obama and his Health Care non-stop talk is shadowing our urgent needs. Go online and write to the White House. They never answer the darn phones if you try to call the comment line - they are all busy! Call your Governor's office also. Tell them you will not vote for him/her unless the darn extension passes and passes NOW for ALL states with 7.5-8.0% unemployment. It is rediculous to give it only to states with 8.5 or above. Who is that clown McDermott who intriduced this bill? Does he think that we would have been able to find jobs easier in states with 8.3 for example? What kind of a BS is this (pardon my language). Tell Obama and Pelossi to answer to the American people where are the 600,000 jobs that they promised this past summer (that is what they said (600,000 over 3 montsh!). Obama run on the promise that he was going to create 1 million jobs in his first year? He has created NONE SO FAR! TO CONGRESS AND OUT PRESIDENT: PLEASE EXTEND OUR BENEFITS NOW ON ALL STATES WITH 7.5-8% UNEMPLOYMENT UNTIL YOU START CREATING THE JOBS THAT YOU PROMISED AND UNTIL FOOD PRICES GO BACK DOWN TO WHERE THEY WERE SINCE GAS PRICES HAVE GONE DOWN. ALSO MR. PRESIDENT START REGULATING TELEPHONE AND CABLE COMPANIES. WE HAVE NO MONEY TO PAY AND THEY ARE PLAYING GAMES WITH US AND OUR BILLS. VERIZON ESPECIALLY SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED BY CONGRESS.
My benefits run out in July 2009. Since then I have absoluyely no income or whatsoever. I have applied to many jobs and at the age of 51 am competing with many younger people for jobs that are very scarce to come by. I do not believe that the unemployment rate is only 8.1%. Are you including those of us who are no longer counted because our benrfits have run out? Does our government think that someone woulf have had harder time finding work if the unemployment rate was 0.1% higher and that at 8.1 it is easier to find work? I think that it is rediculous and inhumane to leave people without this lifeline of income. CT and our governor should have done something to convince the feds that at 8.1 they should have been able to trigger the 7 weeks for us. None if the current incumbents will be re-elected unless they start showing to the people of CT that they care. Sure, everyone was on their fancy vacation all summer - now they are back and keep talking about extending the benefits. They will talk and talk as usually not realizing that we need their help NOW! I guess they are trying to push it as close to the holidays so that we can be so thankful to them, right. Or, they are going to give more aid as election 2010 starts heating up - figures that is when if anything they will need to have us happy (they will need our votes) and they know that Americans have short memory spans so they will not kill themselves to help us now. PLEASE MAKE IT VERY CLEAR TO YOUR REPS - EXTEND OUR BENEFITS IN ALL STATES WITH UNEMPLOYMENT RATE OF 7% - NOT THE FAKE RATE OF 8%! (TELL THEM TO INCLUDE ALL PEOPLE WHO HAVE FALLEN OF THE BOOKS WHEN COUNTING UNEMPLOYMENT. THEY ARE DOING THIS ON PURPOSE SO THAT WE GO AND APPLY FOR WELFARE. TELL YOUR REPS THAT YOU WILL NOT VOTE FOR THEM UNLESS THEY START CREATING JOBS, JOBS JOBS! UNTIL THEY DO THEN THEY HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE STILL GET BENEFITS. WHERE ARE THE MILLION JOIBS THAT OBAMA PROMISSED? WHERE ARE THE PROMISES THAT WE COME FIRST? ALL HE IS TALKING IS HEALTH CARE. AND THAT IS BECAUSE HE WANTS TO DIVERT ATTENTION FROM THE JOB SITUATION. IF IT WAS NOT FOR THE STUPID MEDIA TO FOCUS SINGLE MINDED ONLY ON HEALTH CARE, PERHAPS WE WOULF HAVE NOT BEEN IN THIS HORRIFFIC SITUATION NOW. EXTEMND OUR BENEFITS NOW IN ALL STATES OTHERWISE NONE OF YOU WILL BE RE-ELECTED. PEOPLE NEED MONEY TO PAY FOR THEIR FOOD AND RENT BEFORE THEY THINK ABOUT OBAMA'S HEALTH CARE REFORM! PRESIDENT OBAMA THE COUNTRY IS WATCHING - WE VOTED FOR YOU BUT YOU HAVE LET US DOWN AND A BIG TIME. THIS IS NOT THE KIND OF CHANGE WE HAD IN MIND. WE ARE WORSE OFF NOW THAN WHEN YOU TOOK OFFICE. YOU SHOULD HAVE NEVER LET OUR UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS EXPIRE - NMOT BEFORE YOU DEKIVERED ON YOUR PROMISE TO CREATE LOTS OF JOBS - 600,000 THIS PAST SUMMER ALONE. THAT IS WHAT YOU SAID SIR! WHAT HAPPENED? WE LOST MORE JOBS THAT IS WHAT HAPPENED! PLEASE ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF OLDER AMERICANS OVER 50...WE NEED SOME SPECIAL BENEFITS - YOU KEEP GIVINH TO YOUTH AT RISK - WHAT ABOUT US, MR. PRESIDENT? PLEASE STOP TALKING ABOUT HEALTHCARE AND ADDRESS OUR NEEDS IMMEDIATELY OTHERWISE YOU MAY END UP WITH ABSOLUTELY NOBODY SUPPORTING YOUR HEALTH CARE REFORM. EXTEND UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS NOW AND UNTIL UNEMPLOYMENT FALLS BACK DOWN TO 6%.
According to my local newspaper the House will vote tomorrow (Sept. 23) on the extension (HR 3548) and it is expected to pass. However, as it is currently written the 8.5% threshold still holds. The real issue will be when it reaches the Senate (SB1647) as support there is less strong than the House. I actually read a comment from some moron of a senator who said extended benefits make people lazy and not look further for work. He also said those receiving extended benefits are not helping to stimulate the economy, they're using the money to pay bills. Well no sh** Sherlock. Mortgage and food for my kids or a new plasma TV? GET REAL!!!!!!
Well, I think it's a good article and a good start...13 weeks of extra benefits will buy them time to get the extension out another year until December 2010. After December of 2010 we can all admit to ourselves the country is broke and we're in a depression and there shouldn't be any more free money for anyone. Game over for the US...the 2007-2008 Recession was just a picnic. Make sure you buy physical Gold and Silver...stock up to get yourself through the 2009-2013 depression years. best wishes
well, the house passed the extension yesterday for 13 additional week in states with unemployment higher than 8.5%. Now it needs to be approved by the Senate before the president can sign, and he has said he will. It's time to write your respective senators and tell them this extension is urgently needed.
I can not believe that it only covers people in states with a rate of 8.5%. !! What are 17,000 people who have exhausted their benefit in CT supposed to do? 17,000 people will go on transitional assistane? We should all blast that McDermott who introduced the bill. Where did he come up eith that 8.5%? He just picked up a number? Is he trying to tell me and the rest of all of the people who are in this situsation that we can find jobs at 8.1% but not at 8.5%?! Sspecially since he knows that the rates do not reflect the true unemployment picture. They only passed it to shut up half of the country so there is less noice about it. I can see it here - the minute that the bill passed in some states (almost half of the country) less people are posting comments. That is exactly what they wanted to accomplish in Washington. SHAME on all of our House Representatives who passed this bandais solution only to certain states. I am happy however fro the people it will cover ans would ask that even if they will receive the benefit extension not to forget the rest of us who are not so fortunate. We are citizens of this country also. In my wildest dreams I never imagined that at my age, I will be running so scared with absolutely no income and no savings which I have used it all up (my profit sharing) to make ends meet. And, our President keeps talking Health Care Reform! Nothing, nothing at all about the jobs that he was going to create. Please continue to put the pressure on your representatives - the 13 weeks that they passed is just a smokescreen. It will soon come to an end and then what? We need JOBS!! Until the economy stops losing jobs and the trend is reversed (companies adding more jobs) Obama and Bella Pelossi should extend benefits in all states. Keep telling them that you will not vote for them in 2010 and also in 2012 and that you will not support Health Care Reform unless they pass a better bill extended out benefits to ALL AMERICANS OUT OF WORK!
when they get through passing Hr 3548 they need to aliminate the HB li workers taking american jobs in silicon valley
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