[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 187 (Wednesday, December 7, 2011)]
[House]
[Pages H8193-H8194]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE EXTENSION

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Minnesota (Mr. Ellison) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. ELLISON. Mr. Speaker, before I begin my remarks, I want to 
publicly associate myself with everything Walter Jones just said. He is 
absolutely right.
  Mr. Speaker, this holiday season Congress has chances, a couple of 
chances right in front of them to do

[[Page H8194]]

what's right for the American people and to side with the overwhelming 
percentage of Americans suffering out there in this economy.
  For an entire year, the majority in the House has not offered a 
single bill to create a single job. In fact, the only thing that the 
Congress has been doing is creating an environment where public sector 
jobs are cut, and where private sector jobs, though they have been 
growing, are offset by those public sector cuts, leaving us with an 
unemployment rate which we're happy to have at 8.6 percent, but within 
the historical context is still a national disgrace and an outrage to 
have unemployment at 8.6 percent for so very long. But we're happy to 
have it because it has been as high as 10.
  And now we're threatening to leave more than 2 million Americans, 
including 13,000 in my home State of Minnesota, out in the cold during 
the holiday season by taking away their unemployment insurance.
  Right now, 14 million people are unemployed, and companies really 
aren't hiring. For most of these people, unemployment insurance is the 
only thing that's keeping them in their homes and not out on the 
street.
  According to the Census Bureau, unemployment insurance has pulled 3.2 
million Americans out of poverty last year. And that's why Congress 
needs to make sure that all Americans, Mr. Speaker, continue to have 
this vital lifeline available.
  Any credible economist will tell you that unemployment insurance 
creates jobs. Every dollar invested in unemployment insurance yields a 
return of $1.52 in economic growth.
  At least 200,000 jobs would be lost if Congress fails to pass the 
extension of unemployment insurance benefits. Congress must not leave 
Washington for the holidays without extending unemployment benefits 
that create jobs and put money into the pockets and on the tables of 
millions of Americans.

                              {time}  1030

  Both Democrat and Republican politicians, we together have not passed 
that jobs bill. While the Republicans are in the majority, and I 
believe bear the weight of the responsibility, it's a responsibility of 
every Member of Congress to call for the extension of unemployment 
insurance benefits and jobs at this critical time.
  America can't wait. We shouldn't be leaving hardworking Americans 
high and dry this holiday season. This holiday season, we can spur 
economic growth, create jobs, and strengthen the middle class by doing 
the right thing of extending unemployment insurance benefits.
  On behalf of the good people who play by the rules and lost their 
jobs because of Wall Street greed, and while this majority looked the 
other way, I urge all of my colleagues to support the extension of 
unemployment insurance benefits.

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