Having blocked a vote in the House to extend unemployment benefits for nearly three months, House Republicans are now suggesting it is too late to help America's job seekers. Speaker Boehner says the bipartisan legislation that the Senate will take up this week is not "workable" because it attempts to retroactively restore those benefits. But a growing chorus of both Republicans and Democrats, and both federal and state officials, are saying that's not true:
National Association of State Workforce Agencies President Mark Henry : “The letter that I wrote did not label the legislation ‘unworkable’; that was Speaker Boehner’s word. There has been a certain amount of confusion as to what NASWA said and what Speaker Boehner said."
Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez: “The Department of Labor has consistently worked with states to implement these extensions in an effective, collaborative and prompt fashion, and will do so again."
Sen. Dean Heller (R-NV) : “No matter what solution is reached, there is some excuse to deny these much-needed benefits. I look forward to passing this proposal out of the Senate next week, and stand ready to help the Speaker, as well as any organization or any individual necessary, in order to make this extension a reality."
Nevada Chief of Unemployment Insurance Operations Jeff Frischmann : "We would stand ready and do it."
Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio): “There’s a concern [from House Republicans] about implementation, I understand that. But it’s been done before."
Democratic Governors Association : “These benefits are critical to our families, and states are more than capable -- and ours are committed to -- administering these benefits. As you know, states have successfully implemented retroactive benefits extensions in the past when necessary, and we look forward to extending these benefits again, without added burden, when Congress passes this bill."
