[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 167 (Monday, November 9, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2756]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION EXTENSION ACT OF 2009

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                               speech of

                           HON. RUSH D. HOLT

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, November 5, 2009

  Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the emergency 
extension of unemployment benefit passed yesterday for States with high 
rates of unemployment like my home state of New Jersey. Today's passage 
of the Worker, Homeownership, and Business Assistance Act of 2009 is 
the final step before it is presented to President Obama for his 
signature.
  As I said in September when we first considered this measure, I hear 
all the time from central New Jersey residents who are working hard 
each day to find a new job. Recently, a Mercer County resident wrote me 
to say his wife had been out of work for 11 months. He wrote to say, 
``The jobs are just not available for her to go back to work.'' This 
bill answers his plea and the pleas of countless other out of work New 
Jersey residents to extend unemployment benefits while they continue to 
search for employment.
  In tough economic times, Congress and the President have worked 
together to extend unemployment benefits when needed. The previous 
extensions of unemployment insurance during this current recession have 
helped many New Jersey residents keep a roof over their head and food 
on the table when times were tough. In this tight job market and with 
the economy just starting to show signs of recovery, there are still 
six unemployed workers for each job opening and more than 5 million 
people who have been unemployed for more than 6 months.
  The Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2009, H.R. 3548, would 
extend by 14 weeks unemployment benefits for individuals who have 
exhausted their current benefits in all States and by an additional 6 
weeks for individuals who live in States with an unemployment rates 
above 8.5 percent.
  Our Government must help those in need as they seek new work. 
Morally, it is the right thing to do and the economists tell us that 
unemployment benefits are one of the most cost-efficient and fast-
acting forms of economic stimulus.
  The bill does not add to the deficit, by off setting its cost with a 
1 year extension of a employment tax that has been in place for 30 
years.
  Once this bill is signed into law it is estimated that the extension 
of unemployment benefits will help more than 1.3 million out of work 
employees.

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