[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 14 (Friday, February 6, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Page S689]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   OBJECTION TO S. 1896 AND H.R. 1664

  Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, last November, I announced my intention to 
object to any unanimous consent request for the Senate to take up S. 
1896, the Tax Relief Extension Act, and H.R. 1664, the Armed Forces Tax 
Fairness Act. I did so because these bills were the only relevant 
amendable legislation expected to be taken up in the Senate before the 
need of the last session and, therefore, they provided the only 
opportunity to extend unemployment benefits before Federal unemployment 
benefits expired at the end of the year.
  Oregon currently has the second highest unemployment rate in the 
Nation with an unemployment rate of 7.3 percent. Extension of 
unemployment benefits is critical for many Oregonians who have or will 
soon run out of unemployment.
  In order to restore or continue benefits to unemployed workers in 
Oregon and many other States, I will be pushing for passage of S. 2006, 
the Emergency Unemployment Compensation Act. S. 2006 restores Federal 
unemployment benefits and reforms a ``look back'' rule that affects 
Oregon and other high unemployment States as part of the legislation.
  Because there is now legislation before the Senate to restore Federal 
benefits for unemployed workers in Oregon and other States, I will no 
longer object to any unanimous consent request for the Senate to take 
up S. 1896 or H.R. 1664.

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