Nearly 7,000 Maine workers have lost benefits because Congress has failed to extend program

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree said a bill passed by the U.S. Senate today would retroactively restore unemployment checks for 6,880 Maine workers who have had their benefits cut off since December 28.

"There are thousands of people across Maine who are still struggling to find work who have had their unemployment checks run out because Congress has failed to act," Pingree said. "They depended on those checks to put food on the table and gas in their vehicles. When the benefits run out, not only do they suffer but so does their community. Unemployment benefits go directly into the local economy and help small businesses that are still trying to recover from the recession. The Senate did the right thing in voting to extend these benefits and now it's time for the House toact."

Emergency extended unemployment benefits took effect in 2008 and have been reauthorized several times since then as Americans continue to recoverfrom the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression. Despite the real progress the economy has made since its near collapse in 2008, there are still more than one million fewer jobs than there were before the recession began. Long-term unemployment as a percentage of the unemployed is 37 percent, near historic highs.

The bill passed by the Senate today would extend the program through May, including providing retroactive benefits to December 28. The House has yet to take up legislation.

A county-by-county table showing the number of people who havelost their benefits is attached. The figures were provided by the Maine Department of Labor and compiled by the House Ways and Means Committee.