[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 176 (Thursday, December 12, 2013)]
[House]
[Page H8088]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1900
                         UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS

  (Ms. SHEA-PORTER asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute.)
  Ms. SHEA-PORTER. Mr. Speaker, I am going to read a letter that I 
received from a constituent who is about to have her unemployment 
benefits cut. I quote:

       Now that I am laid off and older, I am having difficulty 
     finding a job. I understand now I cannot get unemployment 
     extension. I have never collected anything in my life. So now 
     what? I am going to be homeless. I do not qualify for 
     anything because I made too much money. I have spent my 
     savings, applied for 500-plus jobs to an aimless black hole. 
     What am I going to do? A homeless shelter? My credit is 
     damaged and soon I will not pass a background check. I do not 
     qualify for retraining programs, et cetera, because I have 
     excellent skill sets. All I hear is I am in a perfect storm, 
     ``Sorry, you are not alone.''
       I have been a productive member of society for many years 
     and do not consider myself a ``taker.'' How many unemployed 
     will lose their homes, dignity, and hope? I wanted you to 
     know.

  So, to my constituent, I do know and Americans know. It was wrong to 
leave without fixing this problem.

                          ____________________