[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 91 (Thursday, June 17, 2010)]
[House]
[Page H4620]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        HELP FOR THE UNEMPLOYED

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Washington (Mr. McDermott) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. McDERMOTT. Madam Speaker, we have the highest number of long-term 
unemployed Americans ever on record, so you'd think we'd be overwhelmed 
by bipartisan cooperation to help us with these 7 million people who 
have been out of work for more than 6 months. Instead, every single 
House Republican but one voted against the legislation 3 weeks ago to 
continue emergency Federal unemployment benefits. And now, in the other 
body, every Republican has refused to support an extension of 
unemployment benefits. So a growing number of jobless workers are now 
losing their benefits.
  By the end of this week, more than 900,000 Americans will lose their 
unemployment benefits unless the other body acts. We hear their 
rumblings over there, but I'll believe it when I see it. By the end of 
the month, the number will grow to 1.2 million. My colleagues from 
Florida should know an estimated 80,000 Floridians will lose their 
benefits; California, 180,000; Ohio, 66,000; Georgia, 57,000. And the 
list goes on and on.
  The last lifeline for these workers and their families is being 
severed, leaving them adrift with no job, no savings, and no support. 
Even some from my own party seem to be saying now is the time to start 
cutting back on help for the unemployed. In fact, it will take about 5 
years of consistent, month-after-month job growth to make up for all 
the ground we have lost in this recession. That's how big the jobs hole 
is that unemployed workers are trying to climb out of.
  You only have to hear from a few unemployed workers to know how hard 
they're looking for work and to feel their sheer sense of desperation. 
They're losing their homes, their health, and their faith in the 
American Dream. Are we really prepared to just stand by and watch them 
sink into abject poverty?
  Opponents of helping the unemployed like to talk about budget 
deficits. Of course, they don't seem to care about deficits when it 
comes to two wars that have cost a trillion dollars and two tax cuts, 
mainly for the wealthy, which cost $1.7 trillion. None of that seems to 
matter. But now the stingy other body says we might pass this if we can 
take away $25 a week from all the unemployed. Of course, we couldn't 
take the money from the hedge fund people. That would be too tough on 
them. When it comes to helping the unemployed, they just say, We can't 
afford it. But I wonder if they have truly considered the real cost of 
abandoning these families.
  Ending assistance to the unemployed will reduce consumer demand right 
at the point when the economy is struggling to rebound after the worst 
recession in 70 years. It would surely increase the number of homes 
that would go into foreclosure. And it would drive some individuals 
permanently out of the labor force if we don't do something. All these 
outcomes will increase our Nation's budget deficit. But even worse, 
they'll bring about a crippling deficit of hope--hope for the future.
  Helping those who have lost their jobs through no fault of their own 
is the right thing to do for families, for the economy, and, 
ultimately, for the Federal budget.
  Our failure to get this bill passed has very real and very immediate 
consequences. Tonight, thousands of people in every corner of this 
country will suffer because we have chosen to quibble and stonewall 
instead of act. These benefits help millions of people put bread on the 
table while they look for work. I sincerely hope the other body will 
take pity on the unemployed of this country and pass a bill today.

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