WASHINGTON, D.C. -- House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles B. Rangel (D-NY) and Income Security and Family Support Subcommittee Chairman Jim McDermott (D-WA) introduced H.R. 6867, unemployment insurance legislation, to help Americans cope with the current economic crisis. McDermott’s subcommittee has jurisdiction over unemployment insurance and Chairman Rangel has made helping the American people weather the serious economic storm a top priority of the Ways and Means Committee.
"Just last week we learned that the national unemployment rate jumped to a staggering 6.1 percent and the economy lost jobs for the eighth straight month," said Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles B. Rangel. "Congress has an obligation to respond to the needs of the millions of families who still need to pay their rent, their heating bills and keep food on their tables, but are finding their pocketbooks and checkbooks depleted. This legislation would provide direct relief to families who want to work but are finding a job market that doesn’t want to hire and it sends a clear signal to the American people that we understand the difficulties they face and will act to provide them relief and reverse these dangerous economic trends."
"Today, Chairman Rangel and I are fulfilling a promise we made last week to respond to rising unemployment and worker insecurity during this economic crisis by extending a helping hand," Rep. McDermott said. "This legislation will help Americans who have lost their job through no fault of their own by providing extended unemployment benefits."
In brief, H.R. 6867:
* Would provide seven additional weeks of extended benefits for those who have exhausted their UI benefits across the country.
* Would provide 13 more weeks of unemployment benefits for workers in states with high unemployment, defined as 6 percent or higher.
* Is paid for through the existing federal unemployment trust fund.
* Is estimated to distribute about $6 billion in benefits.
* Without this legislation, nearly 800,000 workers are expected to run out of their current extended benefits in October. This number will grow to 1.1 million by the end of calendar year 2008.
McDermott said the latest unemployment data should be a compelling reason for Congress to act quickly to pass the legislation, either on its own or within an economic stimulus package.
"With the unemployment rate nationally now above six percent, and our economy staggering under the weight of years of failed economic policies, it is time for the President and Republican Party to join us in urgently meeting the needs of the American people," McDermott said. "We cannot wait any longer to assist struggling workers who have lost their job through no fault of their own and cannot find new work in a difficult job market," Rangel concluded. "American workers support our economy and its time for Democrats and Republicans to work together to support America’s workers. I can think of no better means of assistance than extending unemployment benefits to help families and turnaround this faltering economy."
Please click here to view the text of H.R. 6867.
