Millions to lose Unemployment Benefits if Congress doesn't act now. [View All]

[JamesA1102]

State Unemployment Commissioners Implore Congress To Reauthorize Benefits Extensions

Labor commissioners and unemployment-agency officials from several states joined a coalition of labor and advocacy groups Monday to implore Congress to reauthorize unemployment benefits extensions set to expire at the end of the year. If Congress doesn't act before its Christmas recess -- and it might not -- one million jobless workers will run out of benefits in January.
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There are measures pending in both chambers of Congress to extend benefits and COBRA health insurance subsidies for laid-off workers, but it's not clear that lawmakers will act before they leave town for their Christmas break on Dec. 18.

On Dec. 3, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said she hoped the House could reauthorize benefits and COBRA subsidies before then. In a statement to Huff Post, an aide to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said Reid is working to extend the programs but didn't say when it would happen.
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After a delay caused by Senate Republicans, Congress passed a 14-week extension (20 weeks in states with high jobless rates) on Nov. 4. But that extension was to provisions of the stimulus bill which will expire after Dec. 31.

So unless Congress makes a move in the next two weeks, come January, anyone who exhausts their unemployment insurance will be ineligible for the next tier of extended benefits.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/12/07/state-unemployment-commis_n_382654.html

Everyone needs to call their Senators and Member of Congress to get them to move on this ASAP.