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Klobuchar Fights for Workers During Struggling Economy

Votes to extend benefits for recently unemployed as they look for new work

November 20, 2008

Washington, D.C. – As new claims for unemployment benefits jumped to a 16-year high, Senator Klobuchar voted today to extend unemployment insurance to help American workers as they search for new jobs.  In Minnesota, claims for unemployment insurance rose by 6,200 last month—31 percent higher than the number of claims filed in October 2007.  The legislation, which passed the Senate by a voice vote, will provide an additional seven weeks of unemployment insurance to unemployed workers who have already exhausted their standard 13-week benefits.

“With the economic downturn felt across the country and the loss of 1.2 million jobs since last January, over 520,000 in the last two months alone, workers cannot find jobs in our economy,” said Klobuchar.  “We need to do all that we can to sustain and create jobs in this tough economy.”

The measure now goes to President Bush for his signature.  In addition to providing an additional seven weeks of unemployment insurance, the bill would provide an additional 13-weeks of benefits to unemployed workers in states that have been hit particularly hard by the unemployment downturn and have unemployment rates above 6 percent averaged over the previous three months.  It will also provide temporary federal matching funds to states that do not require a one-week waiting period to receive benefits, so that unemployed workers can receive immediate assistance.

The bill will provide approximately $6 billion in total benefits over the next few months, and be paid for through the existing federal unemployment trust fund.

The House passed this legislation in October by a vote of 368 – 28.


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