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(Washington D.C.)- Congressman Sander Levin, Chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means, delivered the following remarks in favor of extending unemployment insurance earlier today. Video of the remarks is available here. The House of Representatives is expected to vote on the legislation this afternoon.
“This action should have occurred two months ago. This house acted to extend unemployment insurance on May 28th. For six weeks, six weeks Republicans in the Senate blocked unemployment insurance. They stood not on the side, but in the way of millions of Americans and during those six weeks over 2.5 million unemployed Americans exhausted their benefits and struggled to stay afloat while continuing to look for work in this difficult economy.
“Americans like this person from Grand Rapids, Michigan, who wrote me, and I quote, ‘I worked 22 years in automotive 60-70 hrs a week, supported my family, paid my taxes and worked in my community. Every single day I send my resume out to no avail. I have lost my home, one vehicle and my sense of the ability to take care of my family.’
“Or this individual from Madison Heights, Michigan, ‘My family is not living large, we are surviving. Cutting unemployment will take us out of survival mode and put us into homeless mode... After working 20+ years, this is the first time that we have asked for unemployment...’
“To add insult to injury, after their filibuster was broken, Senate Republicans insisted on running out the clock and delaying the full 30 hours before they would let a final vote occur in the other body. Thirty hours for nothing. No excuse of theirs worked for Americans out of work through no fault of their own and looking for their next job. We have acted to extend unemployment insurance in Republican Congresses and under Republican Presidents.
“So today we put this sad chapter behind us and move forward to continue our efforts to support job creation and to continue to dig ourselves of the ditch that we inherited from the last Administration.”
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