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“EMERGENCY UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION CONTINUATION ACT” mentioning the U.S. Dept of Labor was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E1999 on Nov. 29, 2010.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
EMERGENCY UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION CONTINUATION ACT
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speech of
HON. DAVE CAMP
of michigan
in the house of representatives
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Mr. CAMP. Madam Speaker, on November 18, 2010, U.S. Department of Labor Secretary Hilda Solis said the fact that the U.S. unemployment rate was 9.6 percent in October 2010 (as opposed to 10.1 percent in October 2009) ``tells you . . . we are on the right path.''
The facts show that the U.S. unemployment rate has been 9.5 percent or above for 15 consecutive months--the longest period since the Great Depression of the 1930s.
The unemployment rate hasn't fallen since spring--when hundreds of thousands of temporary Census jobs were ``created.''
And Democrats promised us if their 2009 stimulus law passed, the unemployment rate would be 7 percent by now, which as the chart below reflects didn't happen.
All of which suggests unemployment at 9.6 percent is not the right path for American workers, regardless of what Secretary Solis believes.
This bill reflects a cynical political maneuver by the Democratic leadership. They know the Senate has no plans to pass this unpaid-for bill. So all the claims that today's legislation will save Thanksgiving are just more empty rhetoric.
The fact is, this is exactly what happened this summer, when Democrats brought a similar unpaid-for extension bill up under suspensions. That failed, because enough Republicans and Democrats opposed simply adding to the deficit. You would think our Democrat colleagues would have learned that lesson, and either brought this up for an up or down vote, or actually paid for it. Instead, we get more of the same ``our way or the highway'' approach.
It will not pass, and the other side knows it. We should reject this bill and work together to quickly pass a bill to extend federal unemployment benefits while responsibly paying for it.
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