[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 123 (Friday, August 7, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Pages S9081-S9083]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. REED (for himself, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Schumer, Mrs. Boxer, 
        Mr. Lautenberg, Mr. Levin, Ms. Stabenow, Mr. Whitehouse, Mr. 
        Kerry, Mr. Menendez, Mr. Cardin, Mr. Brown, Mr. Begich, Mr. 
        Burris, and Mr. Franken):
  S. 1647. A bill to provide for additional emergency unemployment 
compensation, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Finance.
  Mr. REED. Mr. President, today I am introducing the Assistance for 
Unemployed Workers Extension Act, legislation to extend unemployment 
insurance benefits so people can pay their bills while they look for 
work. These benefits are set to expire at the end of this year. I am 
joined in introducing this critical legislation by Senators Durbin, 
Schumer, Boxer, Lautenberg, Levin, Stabenow, Whitehouse, Kerry, 
Menendez, Cardin, Brown, Begich, Burris, and Franken.
  Last fall, I authored the law that provided additional weeks of 
unemployment insurance for individuals exhausting their benefits. Among 
other provisions to help stimulate the economy, create jobs, and help 
the unemployed, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act extended the 
termination dates of these unemployment benefits.
  Yet, as jobs have become scarcer, we need to do more. My legislation 
will continue several current-law unemployment compensation programs 
through 2010.
  In addition, it also provides help to those who are getting stuck on 
unemployment for long periods. Indeed, there is only roughly one job 
opening for every five job seekers.
  The Assistance for Unemployed Workers Extension Act provides 13 
additional weeks of unemployment insurance for states like Rhode 
Island, South Carolina, Oregon, California, Ohio, Michigan, and Georgia 
as well as

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other states which have an unemployment rate at or above 8.5 percent.
  Without this legislation, over half a million workers are expected to 
exhaust their benefits by the end of September, and another 1.5 million 
are estimated to run out of coverage by the end of the year. This is an 
extraordinary number of Americans that will face life without a 
paycheck or an unemployment check during the worst economy since the 
Great Depression.
  While all states are suffering during these very difficult times, my 
own State of Rhode Island has been hit especially hard, saddled with 
the second highest unemployment rate and a recession that hit earlier 
than in any other State.
  More than 1,500 Rhode Islanders have exhausted their unemployment 
insurance benefits this year. By November, another 3,300 unemployed 
Rhode Islanders will also exhaust their benefits. This is about 150 
people each week.
  Providing basic support for those who are out-of-work through no 
fault of their own assures Americans can provide for their families and 
keep a roof over their heads, stemming the tide of foreclosures and the 
deterioration of neighborhoods.
  As has been the case with past extensions, I look forward to working 
on a bipartisan basis to pass this legislation. It is critical that we 
provide help to the growing ranks of the unemployed.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be 
printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be 
printed in the Record, as follows:

                                S. 1647

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Assistance for Unemployed 
     Workers Extension Act''.

     SEC. 2. EXTENSION OF EMERGENCY UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION 
                   PROGRAM.

       (a) In General.--Section 4007 of the Supplemental 
     Appropriations Act, 2008 (Public Law 110-252; 26 U.S.C. 3304 
     note), as amended by section 4 of the Unemployment 
     Compensation Extension Act of 2008 (Public Law 110-449; 122 
     Stat. 5015) and section 2001(a) of the Assistance for 
     Unemployed Workers and Struggling Families Act (Public Law 
     111-5; 123 Stat. 436), is amended--
       (1) by striking ``December 31, 2009'' each place it appears 
     and inserting ``December 31, 2010'';
       (2) in the heading for subsection (b)(2), by striking 
     ``december 31, 2009'' and inserting ``december 31, 2010''; 
     and
       (3) in subsection (b)(3), by striking ``May 31, 2010'' and 
     inserting ``May 31, 2011''.
       (b) Financing Provisions.--Section 4004(e)(1) of such Act, 
     as added by section 2001(b) of the Assistance for Unemployed 
     Workers and Struggling Families Act (Public Law 111-5; 26 
     U.S.C. 3304 note), is amended by inserting ``and section 2(a) 
     of the Assistance for Unemployed Workers Extension Act'' 
     after ``Act''.
       (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section 
     shall take effect as if included in the enactment of the 
     Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2008.

     SEC. 3. EXTENSION OF INCREASE IN UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION 
                   BENEFITS.

       (a) In General.--Section 2002(e) of the Assistance for 
     Unemployed Workers and Struggling Families Act (Public Law 
     111-5; 123 Stat. 438) is amended--
       (1) in paragraph (1)(B), by striking ``January 1, 2010'' 
     and inserting ``January 1, 2011'';
       (2) in the heading for paragraph (2), by striking ``january 
     1, 2010'' and inserting ``january 1, 2011''; and
       (3) in paragraph (3), by striking ``June 30, 2010'' and 
     inserting ``June 30, 2011''.
       (b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section 
     shall take effect as if included in the enactment of the 
     Assistance for Unemployed Workers and Struggling Families 
     Act.

     SEC. 4. THIRD-TIER BENEFITS.

       (a) In General.--Section 4002 of the Supplemental 
     Appropriations Act, 2008 (Public Law 110-252; 26 U.S.C. 3304 
     note), as amended by section 3 of the Unemployment 
     Compensation Extension Act of 2008 (Public Law 110-449; 122 
     Stat. 5014), is amended by adding at the end the following 
     new subsection:
       ``(d) Third Tier of Benefits.--
       ``(1) In general.--If, at the time that the amount added to 
     an individual's account under subsection (c)(1) (in this 
     subsection referred to as `additional emergency unemployment 
     compensation') is exhausted or at any time thereafter, such 
     individual's State is in an extended benefit period (as 
     determined under paragraph (2)), such account shall be 
     further augmented by an amount (in this subsection referred 
     to as `further additional emergency unemployment 
     compensation') equal to the lesser of--
       ``(A) 50 percent of the total amount of regular 
     compensation (including dependents' allowances) payable to 
     the individual during the individual's benefit year under the 
     State law; or
       ``(B) 13 times the individual's average weekly benefit 
     amount (as determined under subsection (b)(2)) for the 
     benefit year.
       ``(2) Extended benefit period.--For purposes of paragraph 
     (1), a State shall be considered to be in an extended benefit 
     period, as of any given time, if--
       ``(A) such a period would then be in effect for such State 
     under the Federal-State Extended Unemployment Compensation 
     Act of 1970 if section 203(d) of such Act--
       ``(i) were applied by substituting `6' for `5' each place 
     it appears; and
       ``(ii) did not include the requirement under paragraph 
     (1)(A) thereof; or
       ``(B) such a period would then be in effect for such State 
     under such Act if--
       ``(i) section 203(f) of such Act were applied to such State 
     (regardless of whether the State by law had provided for such 
     application); and
       ``(ii) such section 203(f)--

       ``(I) were applied by substituting `8.5' for `6.5' in 
     paragraph (1)(A)(i) thereof; and
       ``(II) did not include the requirement under paragraph 
     (1)(A)(ii) thereof.

       ``(3) Coordination rule.--Notwithstanding an election under 
     section 4001(e) by a State to provide for the payment of 
     emergency unemployment compensation prior to extended 
     compensation, such State may pay extended compensation to an 
     otherwise eligible individual prior to any further additional 
     emergency unemployment compensation, if such individual 
     claimed extended compensation for at least 1 week of 
     unemployment after the exhaustion of additional emergency 
     unemployment compensation.
       ``(4) Limitation.--The account of an individual may be 
     augmented not more than once under this subsection.''.
       (b) Conforming Amendments.--Section 4007(b)(2) of such Act, 
     as amended by section 3, is amended--
       (1) by striking ``then section 4002(c)'' and inserting 
     ``then subsections (c) and (d) of section 4002''; and
       (2) by striking ``paragraph (2) of such section)'' and 
     inserting ``paragraph (2) of such subsection (c) or (d) (as 
     the case may be))''.
       (c) Effective Date.--
       (1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), the amendments 
     made by this section shall take effect as if included in the 
     enactment of the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2008.
       (2) Additional benefits.--In applying the amendments made 
     by this section, any additional emergency unemployment 
     compensation made payable by such amendment (which would not 
     otherwise have been payable if such amendment had not been 
     enacted) shall be payable only with respect to any week of 
     unemployment beginning on or after the date of the enactment 
     of this Act.

     SEC. 5. EXTENSION OF FULL FEDERAL FUNDING OF EXTENDED 
                   UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION FOR A LIMITED PERIOD.

       (a) In General.--Section 2005 of the Assistance for 
     Unemployed Workers and Struggling Families Act (Public Law 
     111-5; 26 U.S.C. 3304 note) is amended--
       (1) by striking ``January 1, 2010'' each place it appears 
     and inserting ``January 1, 2011''; and
       (2) in subsection (c), by striking ``June 1, 2010'' and 
     inserting ``June 1, 2011''.
       (b) Extension of Temporary Federal Matching for the First 
     Week of Extended Benefits for States With No Waiting Week.--
     Section 5 of the Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 
     2008 (Public Law 110-449; 26 U.S.C. 3304 note), as amended by 
     section 2005(d) of the Assistance for Unemployed Workers and 
     Struggling Families Act (Public Law 111-5; 26 U.S.C. 3304 
     note), is amended by striking ``May 30, 2010'' and inserting 
     ``May 30, 2011''.
       (c) Effective Dates.--
       (1) In general.--The amendments made by subsection (a) 
     shall take effect as if included in the enactment of the 
     Assistance for Unemployed Workers and Struggling Families 
     Act.
       (2) First week.--The amendment made by subsection (b) shall 
     take effect as if included in the enactment of the 
     Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2008.

     SEC. 6. ADDITIONAL EXTENDED UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS UNDER THE 
                   RAILROAD UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE ACT.

       (a) Benefits.--Section 2(c)(2)(D) of the Railroad 
     Unemployment Insurance Act, as added by section 2006 of the 
     Assistance for Unemployed Workers and Struggling Families Act 
     (Public Law 111-5; 123 Stat. 445), is amended--
       (1) in clause (iii)--
       (A) by striking ``June 30, 2009'' and inserting ``June 30, 
     2010'';
       (B) by striking ``December 31, 2009'' and inserting 
     ``December 31, 2010''; and
       (2) by adding at the end of clause (iv) the following: ``In 
     addition to the amount appropriated by the preceding 
     sentence, out of any funds in the Treasury not otherwise 
     appropriated, there are appropriated $175,000,000 to cover 
     the cost of additional extended unemployment benefits 
     provided under this subparagraph, to remain available until 
     expended.''.
       (b) Administrative Expenses.--Section 2006(b) of the 
     Assistance for Unemployed Workers and Struggling Families Act 
     (Public Law 111-5; 123 Stat. 445) is amended by adding at the 
     end the following: ``In addition to funds appropriated by the 
     preceding sentence, out of any funds in the Treasury not 
     otherwise appropriated, there are appropriated to the 
     Railroad Retirement Board $807,000 to cover the 
     administrative expenses associated with the payment of 
     additional

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     extended unemployment benefits under section 2(c)(2)(D) of 
     the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act, to remain available 
     until expended.''.
       (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section 
     shall take effect as if included in the enactment of the 
     Assistance for Unemployed Workers and Struggling Families 
     Act.
                                 ______