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| Wilson: Help Continues for New Mexicans Seeking Work |
May 25, 2003 |
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Unemployment Benefit Extension To Help Additional 8,500 Jobless New Mexicans
Washington, DC – Congresswoman Heather Wilson announced today that an agreement in Congress means continued unemployment benefits for thousands of New Mexicans seeking work. Wilson voted today to provide 13 weeks of federal unemployment benefits to New Mexicans who lose their jobs—or have already lost their jobs—anytime this year.
Her vote extends the availability of federal unemployment benefits another seven months, until December 31, 2003. Those benefits augment 26 weeks of unemployment benefits—funded mostly with federal dollars—already administered by the New Mexico Department of Labor. In all, New Mexico’s workers will be eligible for 39 weeks of assistance as they seek employment. Congressional staff, using Department of Labor data, estimate that 8,517 New Mexicans will benefit directly from this extension. Over the course of two extensions of federal benefits, including the one passed today, more than 17,000 New Mexicans will have received federal assistance while looking for work.
“Our focus is on helping families get back on their feet, and this legislation will ensure we don’t pull the rug out from under them as they look for work,” says Wilson. “We’ve significantly extended the program to provide extra assistance as we strengthen our economy. This is the second time in the last year that Congress has extended a federal boost to state unemployment programs because we understand that people are relying on our help while they look for jobs and piece their lives back together.”
The extension will continue to provide newly unemployed New Mexicans with 13 weeks of federal assistance after they’ve exhausted 26 weeks of state assistance. Under this extension, workers exhausting regular State unemployment benefits through as late as December 31, 2003 could collect Federal extended benefits. Those extended benefits would be available through as late as March 2004.
“We want to create an environment that allows for job creation so that people aren’t forced to rely on jobless benefits,” continued Wilson. “The Congress is acting on tax relief this week that I believe will encourage small business growth and job creation. As we focus on job creation and economic growth, there are thousands of people who today will continue to receive help as they seek new job opportunities.”
Wilson expects the legislation will be signed by President Bush before the end of the month. That will allow for the benefits extension to continue uninterrupted.
Helping New Mexicans
Quick Facts About the Second Extension of
Federal Unemployment Benefits in One Year
H.R. 2185 is a straight seven-month extension of the current Federal temporary extended unemployment compensation (TEUC) program.
· This bill extends TEUC a second time. Following the September 11, 2001 attacks, Congress created the program in March 2002. It was extended in January 2003.
· Under this extension, workers exhausting regular State unemployment benefits through as late as December 2003 could collect Federal extended benefits. Those extended benefits would be available through as late as March 2004.
· Workers who exhaust 26 weeks of regular State benefits would be eligible for 13 weeks of Federal extended benefits in all States, for 39 weeks of total benefits.
· Workers who exhaust 26 weeks of regular State benefits would be eligible for 26 weeks of Federal extended benefits in certain “high unemployment” States, for a total of 52 weeks of benefits. (Many also will qualify for an added 13 weeks of benefits under the permanent law Federal-State extended benefits program, for 65 weeks of total benefits in such States.)
o “High unemployment” is defined the same as in the current TEUC program. Six States qualify today: AK, CT, MA, OR, PA, WA.
· The extension includes a “phaseout” so there is no “cliff” in late December 2003.
An estimated 2.5 million unemployed workers will receive extra help through this extension, on top of the 5 million workers who already have received Federal extended benefits in 2002 and 2003.
This extension provides about $7 billion in added Federal extended benefits, on top of the $16 billion in assistance already provided under the TEUC program.
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