[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 129 (Friday, October 4, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1756]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   SENSE OF HOUSE THAT CONGRESS SHOULD COMPLETE ACTION ON H.R. 4019, 
             PERMANENT MARRIAGE PENALTY RELIEF ACT OF 2002

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                               speech of

                     HON. LOUISE McINTOSH SLAUGHTER

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, October 2, 2002

  Ms. SLAUGHTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my deep disappointment 
that the House Leadership has turned a deaf ear to the concerns that 
preoccupy Americans. Among the chief concerns voiced by my 
constituents, in addition to the high cost of prescription drugs and 
the need to protect their retirement savings, is the need to extend 
temporary federal unemployment assistance. Over 60 percent of workers 
receiving extended benefits are currently exhausting all of their 
Federal benefits before finding work. By the end of August, 135,000 New 
Yorkers depleted their unemployment benefits and without timely action 
by this Congress--this number is certain to rise.
  New York, in particular, is struggling with an unemployment crisis 
that rates among the severest in the country. Over 550,000 New Yorkers 
are out of work today. Mr. Speaker, in Western New York, the 
unemployment situation is particularly terrible as evidenced by the 5.1 
percent unemployment rate in Rochester and 5.5 percent in the Buffalo-
Niagara Falls area. Mr. Speaker, certainly Rochesterians, as well as 
residents throughout Western New York, are acutely sensitive to their 
vulnerability to economic despair, triggered by the loss of a good job.
  Mr. Speaker, since the beginning of the current recession, long-term 
unemployment has increased faster than any part of the past 5 
recession. In fact, the percentage increase in workers that exhausted 
regular 13 weeks of benefits has risen 121 percent between 2000 and 
2002. Mr. Speaker, if our economy is in recovery, it is certainly a 
``jobless one.'' Companies did not add workers in September.
  Mr. Speaker, the debate today should be over how to respond to the 
needs of the 1.5 million jobless Americans who have already exhausted 
their Federal unemployment benefits, and to hundreds of thousands of 
other workers who will exhaust their benefits in the coming months. My 
colleague, Mr. Rangel, introduced legislation, H.R. 5491, that would 
extend temporary federal unemployment assistance for an additional six 
months, through June 30, 2003. This measure would ensure that workers 
in every State are eligible for 26 weeks of extended unemployment 
benefits. In States with high unemployment, like New York, workers 
would receive an additional 7 weeks of benefits. Inaction by this 
Congress risks the economic security of some 3 million workers and 
their families in the next five months.
  For these reasons, Mr. Speaker, I strongly urge the Congress listen 
to the needs of growing numbers of Americans undergoing real economic 
hardship and act to extend temporary unemployment assistance.

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