Bill Would Extend Unemployment Insurance for Long-Term Jobless

[Omaha Steve]

http://blog.aflcio.org/2008/04/11/bill-would-extend-unemployment-insurance-for-long-term-jobless/

by Mike Hall, Apr 11, 2008

Earlier this year, the AFL-CIO pushed hard for Congress to extend unemployment insurance (UI) benefits beyond the normal 26 weeks as part of a stimulus package to address growing joblessness and a nose-diving economy.


President Bush indicated that extending UI benefits was veto bait for the bill and said unemployment wasn’t high enough to justify an extension. It was dropped from the bill.


Yesterday, Maurice Emsellem, policy co-director for the National Employment Law Project (NELP), told the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Income Security and Family Support that the Bush administration’s “claim that the unemployment rate is not high enough to justify an extension of jobless benefits” fails to recognize that the rate has become a lagging indicator of economic recovery. Thus, waiting to extend benefits until after the unemployment rate increases further is akin to closing the door after the recession horse has already left the barn.


Rep. Jim McDermott (D-Wash.), the subcommittee chairman, and Rep. Phillip English (R-Pa.) introduced a bill (H.R. 5749) this week that would provide up to 13 weeks of extended unemployment benefits in every state and 13 additional weeks in states with high unemployment. Says McDermott:

Congress should tell these people that help is on the way…We should extend unemployment benefits now. It’s the right thing to do for workers and their families, and it’s the right thing to do for our economy. We have almost twice as many long-term unemployed workers compared to the beginning of the last recession, and nearly all of the economic indicators are telling us the employment picture will get even worse in the coming months.

FULL story at link.

[yourout]

1. This would get a Bush Veto If it gets that far.

Can't afford it with the war and all.

Halliburtons profits are way more important unemployment benefits.

[Faygo Kid]

3. Absolutely guaranteed. Bush would never go for helping people like this.

If he could end unemployment insurance, he would do it in a heartbeat.

[Fredda Weinberg]

2. But where's Pelosi's view? n/t

[Cresent City Kid]

4. Extending unemployment would be an admission of guilt

The unemployment rate is not historically high, but the problem is that the economy is also hurting people WITH jobs. Extending benefits should be part of the stimulus package, but all it will be is a $600 check. For many people this will only mean a month's rent that they would be hard pressed to pay otherwise. For much of the middle class, it will only reduce debt slightly. What will they say when the $600 runs out and we're still in the same predicament?