Rep Joe Crowley Fights Republican Effort to Cut Unemployment Benefits for Millions of Americans

Today, Congressman Joe Crowley (D-Queens, the Bronx), a Chief Deputy Whip in the U.S. House of Representatives, spoke out during the Ways and Means Committee’s consideration of Republicans’ H.R. 1745. This legislation would end the guarantee of federal unemployment insurance, resulting in over 4 million Americans losing their extended benefits this summer unless states provide coverage for them. Over 270,000 workers in New York are currently receiving these emergency benefits.

Crowley’s remarks as prepared are below:

“For over 100 days of the Republican majority in the House of Representatives, we have heard nothing but tick-tock as we awaited a jobs bill.

“And now, they tell us they have a bill – it’s even named the JOBS Act.

“Well, the tick-tock is being replaced by a cuckoo clock, because I’m not seeing the jobs in here.

“What is their great plan to help the economy? Cutting off emergency unemployment benefits.

“I’m not sure how that is supposed to create jobs or grow the economy, especially since economists have repeatedly shown that unemployment benefits help stimulate the economy.

“But the Republicans would end these benefits.

“Now, they say that States can choose to keep funding unemployment insurance, on their own, if they want to.

“But some states are cutting even the standard 26 weeks of benefits – do we really think states are going to be able to shoulder the federal government’s responsibility?

“That’s too much to burden the states with during these difficult times.

“This is a federal program that Congress has consistently voted to extend in order to help those out of work through no fault of their own.

“Many of my colleagues on this committee voted for the law that extended these benefits through the end of this year.

“And now, you want to cut short that promise.

“You might remember this law as the one that also extended tax cuts for the richest Americans – as long as Republicans are looking to break their promises, maybe we should cut short the extension of the tax cuts, too.

“So I ask my colleagues, what will you say to those unemployed workers in your district who will find their benefits cut off much sooner?

“Are you going to tell them that they’re not trying hard enough to find work, and that’s why you’re adding in redundant job search requirements?

“Are you going to tell them that they have to stop ‘living large’ on the federal government’s dollar, since as I’m sure we’re all aware, the average unemployment benefit reaches a whopping 70% of the poverty line for a family of four?

“I don’t know about you, but I can’t tell that to my constituents, because it’s just not true.

“Every week, I hear from workers in my district who have been looking for work, who rely on these federal benefits and who continue to face the difficulties of an economy that is just beginning to recover.

“The policies put into place by President Obama and Democrats in Congress have created 2 million new private sector jobs over the past 14 months, but there are still fewer jobs than before the recession began in 2007.

“At the same time, Republicans have cut job training programs, assistance to dislocated workers, and job creation programs like the TANF Emergency Fund for states to use.

“How are these cuts helping workers? I suppose just like this bill does – it only helps them know who is on their side and who is not.

“This is not a jobs bill.

“I guess we will continue the tick-tock of waiting for a true jobs bill, but in the meantime, this bill is just cuckoo.”

Assembly Member Mike Miller - Assembly Helps Thousands of Unemployed New Yorkers

Critical legislation extends unemployment benefits through this year

Assemblyman Mike Miller (D-Queens) announced the Assembly passed legislation he supported to help unemployed New Yorkers receive extended federally funded unemployment insurance benefits through 2011(A.6091). The bill awaits Senate passage.

“Extending unemployment benefits is a fundamental step toward strengthening New York’s economy and aiding those who need it most as they continue searching for job opportunities,” Miller said.

In May 2009, the Assembly enacted legislation that allowed New York State to receive a federal grant of $645 million for unemployment compensation. The law extended jobless benefits for an additional 13 weeks, bringing the total to 72 weeks of benefits. In December 2010, Congress extended the federally funded program for an additional year.

The new bill will amend state law and allow New York to qualify for a third year in the program. It is estimated that 166,000 unemployed New Yorkers will be affected by this legislation.

“This legislation is crucial aid for unemployed New Yorkers, because without it the state will forfeit an estimated $620 million in federally funded unemployment insurance benefits,” Assemblyman Miller said.

Last month marked the country’s lowest level of unemployment in nearly two years, falling to 8.9 percent. It was reported that the unemployment rate has experienced its most rapid improvement in nearly 28 years, falling a full percentage point in the past three months.New York reported state unemployment rates have declined to 8.3 percent.

“In the face of the economic downturn and one of the worst job markets in years, the falling unemployment rate provides a positive note in our climb toward New York’s recovery, but there is still a long way to go,” Miller said. “Extending this program will ensure that struggling families who depend on unemployment benefits get the help they need while they continue to focus their efforts on finding a job.”

House Dems To Reintroduce Longshot Bill For Long-Term Unemployed by Arthur Delaney - Huffington Post

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Democratic Reps. Barbara Lee (Calif.) and Bobby Scott (Va.) are reintroducing legislation this week to provide additional weeks of unemployment insurance benefits for "99ers," the long-term jobless who have exhausted their benefits and still haven't found work.

"The bill that I am introducing with Congressman Scott, The Emergency Unemployment Compensation Expansion Act, would ensure that these long-term unemployed workers get the long overdue assistance that they need to support their families, make ends meet and contribute to our economy," Lee said in a statement. "Our bill would add 14 weeks of emergency unemployment benefits and would make sure these benefits are retroactively available to people who have exhausted all their benefits and are still unemployed."

Given Republican hostility to additional deficit spending -- Lee's office said the cost of the extra benefits would not be offset -- the effort will likely amount to little more than a reminder that long-term unemployment persists even though much of the nation's political discourse is focused on signs of economic recovery.

The Congressional Budget Office has estimated that 1.4 million Americans have been unemployed for as long as 99 weeks. Of the 13.9 million unemployed, 43.8 percent -- or 6.2 million -- have been out of work for six months or longer.

Lee and Scott are holding a press conference on Wednesday to discuss the bill further. They will be joined by 99ers from an ad hoc online group that calls itself the American 99ers Union. "The American 99ers Union supports government spending that results in a positive return on investment," a statement from the group said. "The Emergency Unemployment Compensation Act will effectively serve this purpose."

Lee and Scott expressed frustration last year, when they first introduced an extension bill, that President Barack Obama omitted help for the 99ers from the deal he struck with congressional Republicans that preserved tax breaks for the rich and reauthorized extended federal unemployment benefits through 2011. Federal unemployment benefits enacted in response to the recession provide the unemployed up to 73 weeks of benefits beyond the standard 26 weeks provided by states. (The full complement of federal benefits is only available in 25 states, so some exhaustees are not officially 99ers.)

The Lee-Scott bill faces even tougher odds in the new Republican-controlled House of Representatives than it did last year in the previous Congress, when helping the 99ers was barely an afterthought.

Help is on the Way for the 99'ers - The Ed Schultz Show - msnbc.com

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Ed Schutz gives his take on new legislation introduced by Rep Barbara Lee ad Rep Bobby Scott, which would give help to unemployed Americans for more than 99 weeks...