TRANSCRIPT

Republicans End Extension of Unemployment Insurance Despite Stubborn Unemployment
December 8, 2003

MR. HOYER: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. FROST, MR. SPEAKER. TODAY THE LEADERSHIP OF THIS HOUSE BREATHES LIFE BACK INTO THE SPIRIT OF EBENEZER SCROOGE, AND FOR THE SECOND YEAR IN A ROW, IGNORES THE PLIGHT OF AMERICA'S UNEMPLOYED DURING THE HOLIDAY SEASON. THE MAJORITY'S FAILURE TO EXTEND UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS IS NOT ONLY UNCONSCIONABLE, IT IS COLD-HEARTED. IN MAY, PRESIDENT BUSH SAID, AND I QUOTE, MY ECONOMIC PLAN IS SUMMED UP IN ONE WORD -- JOBS. BUT THE TRUTH IS, EVEN AFTER FOUR STRAIGHT MONTHS OF ANEMIC JOB GROWTH, PRESIDENT BUSH IS ON COURSE TO BECOME THE FIRST PRESIDENT SINCE HERBERT HOOVER TO PRESIDE OVER A NET JOBS LOSS DURING HIS FOUR-YEAR TERM. YES, THE ECONOMY ADDED 57,000 JOBS IN NOVEMBER, BUT HERE IS WHAT THEY DON'T SAY. THE ECONOMY HAS TO CREATE 150 THOUSHES JOBS -- 150,000 JOBS A MONTH JUST TO KEEP PACE WITH THE NEW FOLKS COMING INTO THE EMPLOYMENT ARENA. OVERALL THERE ARE 8.7 MILLION UNEMPLOYED AMERICANS TODAY, AND NEARLY 1/4 OF THEM, MR. SPEAKER, SOME TWO MILLION PEOPLE, HAVE BEEN JOBLESS FOR MORE THAN 26 WEEKS. MR. SPEAKER, THAT IS THE HIGHEST PERCENTAGE OF LONG-TERM UNEMPLOYMENT SINCE JULY OF 1983, 20 YEARS AGO. AND THERE ARE ABOUT 4.2 MILLION OTHER WORKERS WHO WANT A JOB BUT WHO ARE NOT EVEN COUNTED AMONG THE UNEMPLOYED. THE REALITY IS THIS. IF THE PRESIDENT AND CONGRESSIONAL REPUBLICANS REFUSE TO EXTEND FEDERAL, TEMPORARY UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS WHICH ARE SCHEDULED TO BE PHASED OUT BEGINNING DECEMBER 21, AN ESTIMATED 80,000 TO 90,000 JOBLESS WORKERS WHO EXHAUST THEIR STATE BENEFITS EVERY WEEK WILL BE COMPLETELY CUT OFF. THAT'S 80,000 TO 90,000 PEOPLE PER WEEK. MAY I HAVE ONE ADDITIONAL MINUTE? THAT IS NOT ONLY CALLOUS, IT IS UNNECESSARY. WE HAVE THE FUNDING TO EXTEND THESE BENEFITS. THAT'S RIGHT. THERE IS $20 BILLION IN THE FEDERAL FUND DEDICATED TO UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS, WHICH IS FINANCED BY UNEMPLOYMENT TAXES DEDUCTED FROM WORKERS' PAYCHECKS. MR. SPEAKER, I KNOW THE PRESIDENT AND OUR REPUBLICAN COLLEAGUES WOULD LIKE NOTHING MORE THAN TO PRONOUNCE OUR ECONOMY HEALED AND TO UNFURL THE BANNER READING MISSION ACCOMPLISHED. BUT IT IS PLAIN THAT MILLIONS OF AMERICANS CONTINUE TO BE HURT. THE LEAST WE CAN DO IS REACH OUT A HELPING HAND. NOW, MR. SPEAKER, WE DID THIS LAST YEAR AND WE LEFT 800,000 PEOPLE ON DECEMBER 31, 2004, FALLING OFF THE UNEMPLOYMENT ROLLS WITH THE MONEY IN THE POT TO HELP THEM. WHY DO WE LEAVE THIS DAY WITHOUT ADDRESSING THIS PROBLEM? THERE IS NO EXPLANATION, MR. SPEAKER, AND I PREDICT TO YOU THAT THE PRESIDENT WILL TWO WEEKS FROM NOW SAY, OH, MY GOODNESS, WE SHOULD HAVE DONE THAT. THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE TIME OF THE GENTLEMAN HAS EXPIRED.