Until the jobs deficit, engendered by this GOP recession, is corrected, we need to help unemployed workers.
With unemployment still hovering in double digits and no real relief in sight, a group of 30 Senate Democrats today is urging party leaders to extend emergency unemployment benefits through the end of 2010 — 10 months longer than current law dictates.
In a letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.), the lawmakers argue that shorter extensions might be cheaper, but they leave state budgeters in a state of constant uncertainty.
Short term extensions, while still helpful to families, only add strain to state agencies that must constantly re-tool their computer systems, and at the same time, continue to assist the millions still searching for work. As our economy continues on a path to recovery, we need a robust extension of safety net programs that have provided a lifeline to families since the recession began.
Signing the letter were Democratic Sens. Tom Harkin (Iowa), Bob Casey (Pa.), Jack Reed (R.I.), Sherrod Brown (Ohio), Chris Dodd (Conn.), Jay Rockefeller (W.Va.), Jeanne Shaheen (N.H.), Al Franken (Minn.), Carl Levin (Mich.), Frank Lautenberg (N.J.), Debbie Stabenow (Mich.),
Roland Burris (Ill.), Arlen Specter (Pa.), John Kerry (Mass.), Kirsten Gillibrand (N.Y.), Ron Wyden (Ore.), Edward Kaufman (Del.), Sheldon Whitehouse (R.I.), Barbara Boxer (Calif.), Patrick Leahy (Vt.), Robert Menendez (N.J.), Herb Kohl (Wis.), Tom Udall (N.M.), Ben Cardin (Md.), Robert Byrd (W.Va.), Daniel Akaka (Hawaii), Jeff Merkley (Ore.), Barbara Mikulski (Md.), Dianne Feinstein (Calif.) and Michael Bennet (Colo.), as well as Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders (Vt.)… [emphasis added]
Inserted from <Washington Independent>
This will probably receive broad support on final vote, because the GOP will be afraid not to pass it in an election year, as mush as they hate assisting those that their policies have devastated. However, it will be educational to watch Repuglicans fight tooth and nail to hold this up in order to consume as much floor time as possible and thus prevent Democrats from spending that time on America’s other needs.
I feel proud that my Senators are part of this worthwhile effort.
8 Responses to “Oregon Senators Join in Call to Extend Unemployment Benefits”
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No argument from me about this but isn't it time to start sorting through the unemployed by occupation and finding them some form of work in their area on infrastructure problems in a related area of expertise?
It is not just manufacturing employees out of work but engineers and statisticians, planners and builders as well.
I am fairly certain that most would rather have something to do during the day than send out a thousand resumes and not get any responses.
People want to work despite what the right side of the aisle believes.
Mark, I completely agree. Matching the workforce to available jobs, and when necessary, retraining, should be a high priority.
Good.
Now if only our Canadian(neo?) Con-servatives will get it.
Where's Durbin and Feingold? This is very much needed.
We need jobs, not more unemployment. Extention of unemployment should not be an issue in times like this, it should be a given. This isn't something to celebrate, this is a pathetic and sad commentary of our system.
I want to see a damn jobs package. I want to see something that entices private employment increases, not more government jobs. The only gov. jobs I am willing to accept at this point is flat out rebuilding of our infrastructure. That is what gov. is SUPPOSED to do, not more pencil pushers.
Only when I see gov. doing something PRO-active will I be impressed. This is still re-active and I think should be a non-issue. These guys should be getting jeers for just now getting around to this, not cheers. I support it, but I want to see this on the heels of the jobs package. Where are they saying what they are proposing for a jobs package? Sorry, they aren't.
Oh, how our standards have fallen. We are happy for the crumbs that are taken from the loaf in front of us.
Amen, Ivan. But Harper's Harlots march to a different drummer.
Lisa, that's a good question.
Otis, you make a good point. A jibs bill recently passed the house and is awating action in the Senate. I ecpect the GOP to filibuster, so it may need to be redone under reconciliation rules.
Without additional benefits extensions America is looking at a Summer of the Homeless. Here in California there are new estimates from the National Employment Law Project projecting that 855,000 Californians will lose their benefits by the time June rolls around.
No job + no safety net = no home
Ed I agree, but for your future rederence, comments on articles over two weeks old will usually be seen by me alone.