[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 183 (Thursday, December 1, 2011)]
[House]
[Page H8011]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                    EXTENDING UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
Alabama (Ms. Sewell) for 5 minutes.
  Ms. SEWELL. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in support of workers, 
families, and middle class Americans across the Seventh Congressional 
District of Alabama and across this entire Nation who have lost their 
jobs as a result of the deepest economic recession since the Great 
Depression.
  In my district of the Seventh Congressional District of Alabama and 
across this Nation, the number one issue is job creation. While some 
progress has been made in turning our economy around, there is still so 
much work to be done in order to encourage job creation. Recent reports 
indicate that the Nation's private employers created approximately 
200,000 new jobs during November. While this number shows that our 
economy is slowly recovering and growing, we cannot forget about the 
millions of Americans who have been diligently searching for work but 
who have not been successful in doing so.
  Congress must extend unemployment benefits for the hardworking 
Americans who have lost their jobs due to no fault of their own--
rather, due to the economic downturn. These workers should also be 
given the necessary assistance to provide for their families during 
this difficult time. Nearly one-third of America's 14 million 
unemployed have had no jobs for a year or more. In fact, long-term 
unemployment data suggests that about 2 million people have used up the 
99 weeks of unemployment benefits, but they still cannot find work.
  Congress has never allowed emergency unemployment programs to expire 
when the unemployment rate has exceeded 7.2 percent. With our Nation's 
unemployment rate hovering around 9 percent, now is not the time to 
allow these essential benefits to expire.
  In my home State of Alabama, unemployment and poverty rates have both 
increased dramatically in the wake of the most recent recession. In 
parts of the district that I represent, unemployment rates are as high 
as 19 percent. These persistently high unemployment numbers demonstrate 
the need for Federal unemployment assistance, and it remains a critical 
lifeline to many of the constituents I represent.
  The Census Bureau states that unemployment benefits kept nearly 3.2 
million Americans, including 900,000 children, from slipping into 
poverty last year. Without action, more than 2 million Americans will 
be cut off from unemployment insurance by mid-February of next year. 
The potential effects of this lapse in benefits would devastate 
millions of Americans and millions of households across this Nation.
  We all understand that extending these unemployment insurance 
benefits is a temporary fix to a much larger problem. As Members of 
Congress, we must move quickly to adopt a comprehensive jobs plan that 
will aid businesses and communities in developing and growing. We must 
draft legislation that will promote an entrepreneurial climate and 
support American businesses globally. Now is the time that we must act. 
The American people want a comprehensive jobs plan. Until then, we have 
to extend unemployment benefits to help those millions of Americans who 
are desperately looking for work and can't find it.
  I urge my colleagues to put partisanship aside. Party politics has no 
place when we're talking about the betterment and advancement of our 
Nation. Unemployed Americans, struggling families and communities 
across this Nation cannot wait. We must act now.

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