[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 5 (Tuesday, January 29, 2002)]
[Senate]
[Pages S194-S195]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS EXTENSION

  Mr. DAYTON. Mr. President, I rise today to speak on behalf of the 
amendment offered by my very distinguished colleague, the Senator from 
Illinois, Mr. Durbin, regarding unemployment benefits for Americans who 
are not now receiving them. The legislation offered by Senator Daschle 
has a very important provision to extend unemployment benefits by 13 
weeks for the people in this country who are receiving unemployment now 
and whose benefits are scheduled to run out in the very near future.
  We have lost, in this country, almost 2 million jobs since January of 
a year ago. Yet we have not done what this Congress has done in most 
previous recessions, certainly the last two or three recessions, which 
is to extend unemployment benefits. Already in Minnesota, and I am sure 
in other States, the unemployment benefits are running out for people 
who lost their jobs earlier in the year. It is just simple decency, it 
is simple justice, to be offering that extension now.
  In fact, as you know, we have tried to do that in this body, for 
instance, last September, at the time we passed legislation to prevent 
a bankruptcy in our Nation's airlines. At that time, many of us wanted 
to increase the unemployment benefits duration and were then not able 
to do so.
  This is something that is long overdue. I commend our majority leader 
for making that a keystone of his proposal now on economic stimulus. I 
was delighted to read the President purportedly will be indicating his 
support for extending unemployment benefits tonight. So I hope this is 
something we will be able to address on a bipartisan basis.
  Additionally, however, reports are that over half of the Americans 
who are out of work, who have lost their jobs during this last year, 
are not receiving any unemployment benefits whatsoever. They are not 
eligible. Even though they were working Americans, even though they 
have been in the workforce, because they held only part-time jobs, 
because maybe they held multiple part-time jobs, they are not receiving 
any unemployment benefits whatsoever. That is over half of the people 
who are out of work in this country, including my State of Minnesota.

  That is a national disgrace. That totally repudiates the kind of 
safety net that we say we are going to create for people who, through 
no fault of their own, who through no choice of their own, are thrown 
into economic hard times, their families into economic despair. They 
lose their health benefits; they lose their income; they lose their 
jobs. No wonder people are devastated by that kind of experience.
  The amendment of Senator Durbin very importantly would extend 
unemployment coverage for those 13 weeks to men and women throughout 
this country who have just lost their jobs but are now not receiving 
any unemployment benefits whatsoever. The Durbin amendment would also 
slightly

[[Page S195]]

increase the amount of money that those who are receiving unemployment 
benefits will get during those 13 weeks because, again, we are talking 
about people who, through no fault or choice of their own, are thrown 
out of the workforce.
  In many States, those unemployment benefits are not even enough to 
reach a bare minimum poverty level. We can afford to be generous. We 
can't afford not to be generous for people in that circumstance.
  I commend Senator Durbin for this important addition to Senator 
Daschle's amendment. I hope we will receive today the kind of 
compassion and support the President purportedly will be calling for 
tonight, and that we can do, in advance of his speech, what we should 
have done months ago, which is to provide this extension and include 
others in it.
  Mr. President, I yield the floor and I suggest the absence of a 
quorum.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so 
ordered.
  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, it is my understanding, under a previous 
unanimous consent request, I am recognized now between 11 and 11:30 to 
share time with those in support and in opposition to my amendment, and 
at 11:30 there will be a vote on my amendment No. 2714.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator is correct.

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