The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS” mentioning the U.S. Dept of Labor was published in the House of Representatives section on pages H7271-H7272 on Dec. 19, 2012.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Curson) for 5 minutes.
general leave
Mr. CURSON of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to insert material into the Record on the subject of Representative Emanuel Cleaver's retirement as chair of the Congressional Black Caucus.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Michigan?
There was no objection.
Mr. CURSON of Michigan. I, too, offer my congratulations to Representative Cleaver for his service to all Americans as the CBC chair.
Millions of Americans are out of work through no fault of their own. Millions of Americans are relying on federally funded benefits to make ends meet as our Nation's struggling economy starts to recover. These unemployment benefits for the long-term unemployed will immediately and completely stop on December 29, 2012, unless we in Congress act. There is no phaseout. Every individual receiving those benefits now will be cut off cold.
The Department of Labor estimates that over 2 million Americans will lose their emergency benefits at the end of the year, including over 92,000 people in my home State of Michigan. Cutting off benefits for the long-term unemployed will have a devastating impact on middle class families who are struggling to stay out of poverty. They are critically important for necessities of life, rent, groceries, and utilities. Cutting off unemployment benefits will also hurt America's economic recovery, as economists predict that allowing the UC benefits to expire at the end of this year will reduce economic growth next year by $58 billion.
Emergency unemployment benefits provide a particularly valuable economic contribution to the economy because financially stressed unemployed workers typically spend the benefits they receive quickly. Cutting off these benefits will hurt small businesses and add to the downward spiral of a failing economy. The Census Bureau reports that unemployment benefits, both State and Federal, reduced the number of Americans living in poverty last year by 2.3 million, including over 600,000 children. The Congressional Research Service estimates that in 2011, unemployment benefits reduced the poverty rate for families receiving them by 40 percent.
Cutting off unemployment benefits for too many Americans will only substantially increase hardship and poverty in our Nation. Now is not the time to deprive these Americans of a critical lifeline. Federally funded unemployment benefits should be extended by this Congress.
The best cure for unemployment is to create jobs. We can do this by investing in rebuilding our Nation's infrastructure, creating real jobs and real revenue by people working for a living.
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