Washington, DC – Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) today joined her Democratic colleagues in supporting an amendment to extend unemployment benefits for those workers whose benefits have expired.  The amendment passed 227-179.  The amendment was part of the debate on HR 3030, Improving the Community Services Block Grant Act of 2003.

When the Temporary Extended Unemployment Compensation Program ended in January, Congressional Republicans refused to extend the program, even though people have been hurting in record numbers.  The 2.5 million jobs lost during the Bush Administration stand to make President Bush the first person to hold that office since Depression-era President Herbert Hoover to post a net loss of jobs during his watch.

But Democrats successfully pushed this issue to the forefront of the Congressional agenda. Even before today’s amendment, Lee had co-sponsored last session a bill to extend the federal benefits program for an additional six months. The cost of the unemployment insurance extension is covered by the Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund, which was developed for just the kind of economic situation we are facing today.

With the passage of the amendment, more than 314,000 California workers will receive the additional benefits. 

“The Republican leadership has clearly not had the best interests of the American people at heart,” said Lee.  “While this Administration calls for almost $1 billion in new tax cuts in this year’s budget for the wealthiest Americans, they have refused to provide aid for thousands of people who have gone without sufficient food and proper housing for their families.”

“With the passage of this amendment, we can now do something to help Americans who have been devastated by this horrible economy.”

 

 

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