Unemployment Insurance Resource Center
The Emergency Unemployment Compensation Extension Act:
Congressman Tierney recently introduced the Emergency Unemployment Compensation Extension Act, H.R. 3824, which would restore unemployment insurance to the nearly 58,000 Massachusetts residents and the 1.3 million unemployed workers nationally, including 20,000 veterans who lost their unemployment insurance. Congressman Tierney’s bill, which provides a clean 3-month extension, also would protect the nearly 72,000 additional Americans losing their benefits each week. Economists have reported that unemployment insurance is one of the best ways to spur economic growth, delivering $1.52 in economic activity for every $1 spent.
Every 8 seconds another American loses critical unemployment insurance benefits to help pay bills, put food on the table, and make ends meet.
Timeline: Democrats Are Unified in Drive to Extend Emergency Unemployment Insurance
Republicans Leave Millions of Americans in the Cold, Blocking Consideration Twice in Two Months
November 7: Ways and Means Committee Democrats release report highlighting that 1.3 million Americans will immediately be cut off from unemployment insurance on Dec. 28 if Congress does not reauthorize the program.
November 20: House Democrats introduce legislation (H.R. 3546) to extend unemployment insurance for one year through 2014, providing Americans looking for a job with a vital lifeline as they continue to recover from the severe economic crisis.
December 5: House Democrats hold Steering and Policy event, hearing from Americans who have lost their jobs through no fault of their own to highlight the challenges American families confront if emergency unemployment insurance benefits expire.
Offering the Van Hollen budget plan that extends unemployment insurance for one year, House Democrats call for the budget agreement to include an extension of unemployment insurance.
December 7: President Obama calls for extension of unemployment insurance in his weekly address.
December 11: 174 Democrats send a letter urging Speaker Boehner not to adjourn the House for the year without bringing up an extension of federal unemployment insurance.
December 12: Democrats are unified in seeking to pass a three-month extension of emergency unemployment insurance, but House Republicans nearly unanimously block its consideration -- as Congress is about to adjourn for the year. [Vote 637]
December 20: House Women Members hold press call on impact of House Republican failure to extend unemployment insurance on America’s families.
December 28: Unemployment insurance expires for 1.3 million Americans, after Republicans refuse to extend it in the budget agreement.
January 3: President Obama calls on Congress to extend unemployment insurance in his weekly address.
January 7: The Senate votes to proceed to consider unemployment insurance, as President Obama joins with Americans who have lost their job through no fault of their own and calls on Congress to act.
January 9: Congressman Tierney introduces bill to extend unemployment insurance for three months (H.R. 3824), but Republicans unanimously block consideration of the measure. [Vote 5] This makes the second time in two months House Democrats have offered a motion to force a vote on extending unemployment insurance that is nearly unanimously rejected by House Republicans.
49 House Democratic Freshmen send a letter urging Speaker Boehner to schedule an immediate, up-or-down vote to extend emergency unemployment insurance for 1.3 million Americans who lost their benefits due to congressional inaction at the end of the year.
Resources for the Unemployed:
How to apply for unemployment benefits through the MA Department of Unemployment Assistance