CQ TODAY MIDDAY UPDATE
Aug. 3, 2009 – 1:23 p.m.
New Extension of Jobless Benefits Likely
A new push from the Obama administration over the weekend may aid lawmakers in their efforts to pass an extension of unemployment benefits following the August recess.
Leaders of the House Ways and Means Committee have begun working to craft an extension of unemployment insurance benefits before Sept. 30, when many workers will have exhausted both their regular and extended jobless benefits.
Congress has already acted twice during the current recession to keep unemployment benefits flowing — once in last year’s supplemental spending bill and again in the economic stimulus package enacted early this year.
But without another extension, more and more workers will start losing their benefits every month.
Extending unemployment benefits “is something that the administration and Congress are going to look very carefully at as we get closer to the end of this year,” Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner told George Stephanopoulos on ABC’s This Week on Sunday.
But the details have not been resolved.
“That’s what we’re working on now,” said Rep. Charles B. Rangel , D-N.Y., chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, which would be first to consider an extension of unemployment benefits. The committee is expected to take up legislation on the issue soon after the August recess.
Rep. Jim McDermott , D-Wash., chairman of the Ways and Means Subcommittee on Income Security and Family Support, introduced a bill late last week to keep a program of extended unemployment benefits running through Dec. 31, 2010, instead of expiring as scheduled at the end of 2009.
McDermott’s bill also would keep in force through 2010 the extra $25 per week in benefit checks approved under the stimulus bill.
In addition, the bill would extend jobless benefits for an additional 13 weeks in states with unemployment rates at or above 9 percent on a rolling three-month average. As of now, he said, 20 states would qualify.
Comments
Not here by gosh,the Republican legislature determined unemployment is a handout. Adam Hasner even said "unemployment is a handout" I hope he becomes unemployed and him and his family lose everything like I have! I have worked hard all my life and never in the world thought I would vote for or even think of voting for a Democrat but by gosh I am going to vote democrat until things change.
13 states will not ever get UI from the Feds....they should resolve that immediately.
This is a way to directly help Americans who were most recently employed. This money is spent on food, gas, and putting a roof over the heads of Americans who are trying to find work in our current economy with hundreds of thousands every month being laid off. There is no better way to help America than this! So far from bailing out CEOs at AIG who continue to pay themselves bonuses is INSANE!
our benefits expire the end of september, additional extended benefits should be approved for all states not just those at 9 percent, we are at 8.2, there isnt much difference in trying to find a job at 8.2 or 9 percent, but there is a big difference whether you have money for food, mortgage etc. This isnt welfare, this is for the people who have worked and are now the victims of this recession. I agree with the above comment, I have never voted democrat, but they are the only ones helping the unemployed. I realize this cant go on forever, but do you realize how long it is going to take us to get a job and or how long it will take for the rate to go down so at least we will have a shot at getting a job...YEARS...
When are the american people going to wake up. Every election we vote these money wasting, party throwing, I make 175,000 dollars a year air bags into office. I really think we need to go to D.C. and drag these filthy liars out of there respective offices by their ties and 1000 dollar suits. There are people that are losing their houses, retirement and lives!! Then these morons say unemployment is a hand out!! You know John Quincy Adams said it best : "Every 100 years or so a country needs a bloody revolution to put the scales of justice and the balance of power back in it's place." I'M TIRED OF THESE IDIOTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I've been unemployed since May 2008. I live in Southern CA. I work in the computer IT industry. I've been actively looking ever since. I have 6 online job website and over 75 head hunters aka staffing agencies that I work with. I stay in touch with them weekly threw email. I've been turned down by several companies because I am over qualified. What right do they have to give me such a BS excuse! I want to work. I want a job! I want my life back to normal. I have bills like everyone else and I get some witch in HR telling me I'm over qualified!!! I've talked with my recruiters and one told me that this time last year they were going crazy trying to fill 100 positions, now they have only 10!! The unemployment helps, but it's like without it I would be on the streets! I heard through a friend that it's suppose to reach 20% by 2010! Not sure how true that is, but I'm going to continue to stay on top of it. People tell me "Don't feel bad, there's a lot of people out of work or getting laid" well I do feel bad for those people and their families...how can that make me feel better...yet our government bails out those CEO's at AIG....more focus needs to be on the hard working Americans who made this country what it is today!! My prayers go out to all of you out of work and I hope that one day we will be apart of the work force again.
My husband has been out of work since Dec 2007. He also belongs to all of the online job websites. He has also been out there on foot but gets the same response every time apply online. What the hell. No one ever seems to get back to you when you send your resume because there are no damn jobs out there. My husband worked for the same company for 21 years in California and they downsized and laid him off. He has a lot of experience in all field. He still gets nothing. We live off my paycheck and that is not much and I am falling deeper and deeper behind in all my bills. When is this going to end. Our Government needs to wake up and smell the coffee. Yes your right if it were them in this situation you bet things were pass alot faster. We all need help. Does the government want more homeless families on the street. I sure don't . Help us Government. Please
GOP Temporarily Blocks Unemployment Benefits Extension by Adam Doster on October 14, 2009 - 10:06am The fears of Democrats anxious to pass an unemployment benefits extension were realized yesterday. Dow Jones is reporting that Senate Republicans' plan to stall debate on the bill (H.R. 3548) -- which was expected to hit the floor this week -- because they object to its primary funding mechanism: an extension of the federal unemployment surtax for an additional 18 months. Currently, employers pay a 6 percent tax on the initial $7,000 of employees' wages, the bulk of which is offset by tax credits. This surtax slaps an additional 0.2 percent onto employers, averaging out to $14 per employee annually. The GOP says the extra burden could prevent businesses from hiring. But because the surtax has been extended so commonly over the past 30 years, many businesses have already budgeted for it. Robert Bixby, executive director at the Concord Coalition, tells Dow that it's a "baked-in cost." Instead, Republicans will offer an amendment to pay for the legislation using unspent stimulus funds. It's unclear how much of that money has not already been allocated. I'm sure we will find out in the coming days. In the meantime, it's safe to assume that no bill will get to the president's desk until at least Thanksgiving. (H/T Washington Independent)
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