[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 26 (Monday, March 11, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E311]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

[[Page E311]]



               ECONOMIC SECURITY AND RECOVERY ACT of 2001

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                         HON. JAMES R. LANGEVIN

                            of rhode island

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 7, 2002

  Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in favor of legislation I 
have waited months to be able to support. At long last, the Republican 
Leadership has brought to the Floor an unemployment benefits extension 
package that can attract broad, bipartisan backing and finally 
demonstrate the commitment of this Congress to helping displaced 
workers weather the current economic climate.
  As we all know, the repercussions from the September 11th terrorist 
attacks compounded the impacts of an already weakened labor market. By 
the end of January, 1.3 million displaced workers had exhausted their 
unemployment benefits, and workers continue to use up their benefits at 
the staggering rate of 80,000 per week nationwide. In my state of Rhode 
Island, almost 4,000 workers exhausted benefits between November 2001 
and January 2002, a 33% increase over the same period last year.
  For months, my constituents have been pleading for assistance to help 
them make ends meet while they search for new employment. For months, I 
have promised to fight for them in Washington. Yet I have been forced 
again and again to vote against extended unemployment benefits that the 
Republican Leadership insisted upon politicizing by combining them with 
controversial tax cuts. I am pleased to at last have the opportunity to 
extend a helping hand to struggling families in my district and move 
beyond the partisan stalemate that has thwarted our past efforts on 
this issue.
  To be sure, this legislation, which includes a thirteen-week 
extension of unemployment benefits and a modest package of responsible, 
pro-growth tax proposals, is only a first step. We must still ensure 
that laid-off workers have access to affordable health insurance for 
themselves and their families. That is why I am pleased to join many of 
my Democratic colleagues in supporting a federal subsidy of 75% of 
COBRA premium costs for a period of 12 months for laid-off workers. We 
would also give states the option to add a new eligibility category to 
Medicaid to cover laid-off workers who are not COBRA-eligible for up to 
12 months. America's workers desperately need our continued help, and I 
hope we can work together to address this issue expeditiously.

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