[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 176 (Thursday, November 17, 2011)]
[House]
[Page H7731]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    H.R. 3346, THE EMERGENCY UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION EXTENSION ACT

  (Mr. COHEN asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. COHEN. This past week, I joined with Congressman Lloyd Doggett 
and with many other Democratic colleagues to introduce the Emergency 
Unemployment Compensation Extension Act.
  If Congress fails to pass this bill by the end of the year, Americans 
who have lost their jobs not by any fault of their own will begin 
losing their unemployment benefits in January. By mid-February, 2.1 
million will have lost their benefits, and by the end of 2012, six 
million will have, which includes 34,600 Tennesseans.
  Congress has never allowed emergency unemployment benefits to expire 
when the unemployment rate is anywhere close to where it is now--9 
percent. This extension not only will help the unemployed, but it will 
also promote economic recovery.
  The Congressional Budget Office has declared that unemployment 
benefits are ``both timely and cost-effective in spurring economic 
activity and employment.'' The Economic Policy Institute has estimated 
that preventing UI benefits from expiring could prevent the loss of 
over 500,000 jobs. They are timely, targeted and temporary--the best 
way to stimulate our economy. In addition, there are benefits for the 
States that are having problems with their unemployment insurance 
programs and with certain extensions there.
  I urge the Republicans to join with us in passing this Emergency 
Unemployment Compensation Extension Act.

                          ____________________