[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 82 (Thursday, May 27, 2010)]
[House]
[Page H3875]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  EXTENDING UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE BENEFITS: THE COST OF INACTION FOR 
                            DISABLED WORKERS

  (Mrs. MALONEY asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, the Joint Economic Committee released a 
report this week which shows the staggering cost to the government of 
failing to extend unemployment benefits. The report focuses on 
unemployed disabled workers.
  By the end of 2010, the JEC estimates that 290,000 unemployed 
disabled workers will exhaust their unemployment benefits. Without 
extension of unemployment benefits, the JEC estimates that two-thirds 
of these workers will leave the labor force and move on to Social 
Security disability insurance. Shifting these workers from the labor 
market and onto the SSDI rolls--the cost of inaction--is a $24.2 
billion lifetime cost.
  By contrast, extending unemployment insurance benefits and COBRA 
premium benefits is $721 million in 2010. Not only is an extension of 
unemployment benefits the morally right thing to do; it is fiscally 
responsible, saving the government over $23 billion.

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