[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 1 (Tuesday, January 20, 2004)]
[House]
[Page H5]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    EXTENDING UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS

  (Mr. LEVIN asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. LEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I could care less about the moon. I want a 
job. That was said to me by an electrician during our recess. He is one 
of 1,200 members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers 
in the metropolitan Detroit area out of work. He is one of 8.9 million 
Americans, and there are another 4 million Americans not classified as 
unemployed but who are out of work.
  The long-term unemployed in this country reached a 20-year high in 
November, but this House and the President have refused to extend 
Federal benefits. They expired December 20.
  Ninety thousand people run out of State benefits every week. In this 
country, America, Americans deserve more than continued silence from 
the President of the United States. Let us hope he speaks to this issue 
tonight.

                          ____________________