[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 4 (Wednesday, January 8, 2014)]
[Senate]
[Pages S126-S127]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE EXTENSION

  Mrs. SHAHEEN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mrs. SHAHEEN. Mr. President, I have come to the floor today, like so 
many of our colleagues, to talk about the urgent need to pass 
legislation to extend unemployment insurance. I was encouraged, as I 
know many of us were, that the Senate voted on Monday to move to this 
legislation. I really hope that we are able to build on that progress 
and to pass this critical assistance this week.
  Emergency unemployment insurance has always had bipartisan support. 
Congress has acted eight times since 1958, under congressional 
leadership and Presidents from both parties, to establish extended 
benefit programs when the unemployment rate is too high. In fact, as I 
think a number of my colleagues have said, the program we are currently 
looking to extend was actually passed when George W. Bush was 
President, with strong bipartisan support.
  It is important that we do not turn our backs on Americans who are 
struggling to find work right now. We cannot afford the economic 
consequences of inaction. Failing to renew unemployment benefits will 
cost us jobs, it will hurt economic growth, it will eliminate a 
critical lifeline for families who are struggling to make ends meet.
  While New Hampshire's unemployment rate is below the national 
average, if you are out of work, your household is 100 percent 
unemployed. There are too many families in New Hampshire who have 
already been hurt by the expiration of these benefits. According to New 
Hampshire's Governor Maggie Hassan and our State's Employment Security 
Commissioner George Copadis, the lapse in this critical program has 
abruptly cut off vital support for about 1,350 individuals in New 
Hampshire. For each week that extended benefits are not available, an 
additional 500 to 600 New Hampshire citizens will exhaust regular 
unemployment insurance coverage.
  In total, more than 8,500 citizens of New Hampshire could be hurt 
over the course of the next year. That would result in a potential loss 
to our economy of as much as $14 million, according to the State of New 
Hampshire, and it is a particular issue in certain pockets in the 
State. There are counties where the unemployment rate is higher, where 
we have more long-term unemployed who are going to find particular 
concern about trying to find a job if they do not have any help while 
they are looking.

[[Page S127]]

  I would ask unanimous consent that the letters from New Hampshire's 
Governor Hassan and from our Commissioner of Employment Security be 
printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

                                                  January 3, 2014.
     Hon. Harry Reid,
     Majority Leader,
     U.S. Senate, Washington, DC.
     Hon. Mitch McConnell,
     Republican Leader,
     U.S. Senate, Washington, DC.
     Hon. John Boehner,
     Speaker of the House,
     U.S. House of Representatives,
     Washington, DC.
     Hon. Nancy Pelosi,
     Democratic Leader, U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, 
         DC.
       Dear Majority Leader Reid, Republican Leader McConnell, 
     Speaker Boehner and Democratic Leader Pelosi: I am writing to 
     strongly urge your support for the reinstatement of the 
     Emergency Unemployment Compensation Program, a program that 
     provides a critical lifeline to thousands of New Hampshire 
     residents, and also stimulates the economy and creates jobs 
     as unemployed workers purchase essential goods and services. 
     It is imperative that Congress takes up this important issue 
     as soon as it reconvenes.
       The expiration of the EUC program has abruptly cut off 
     vital support for 1.3 million of our fellow Americans, 
     including approximately 1,350 individuals in New Hampshire. 
     For each week that the EUC program is not available, an 
     additional 500 to 600 New Hampshire citizens per month 
     exhaust regular unemployment insurance coverage. More than 
     8,500 citizens of our state could be hurt over the course of 
     the next year, resulting in a potential loss to our economy 
     of as much as $14 million.
       As we continue to recover from the Great Recession, we must 
     support measures that will encourage economic growth. 
     Although New Hampshire continues to experience lower 
     unemployment rates than most states, there remains a critical 
     need for the EUC program as our unemployed workers continue 
     their efforts to secure employment throughout 2014. Failure 
     to reinstate the EUC program will undermine our fragile 
     economic recovery.
       Again, I urge you to act quickly and reinstate the 
     Emergency Unemployment Compensation Program. We all need to 
     work together to ensure that the economy continues to grow 
     and that we continue to lend a helping hand to unemployed 
     workers in New Hampshire and across the country.
           With every good wish,
                                             Margaret Wood Hassan,
     Governor.
                                  ____



                            New Hampshire Employment Security,

                                     Concord, NH, January 2, 2014.
     Hon. Jeanne Shaheen,
     Hart Senate Office Building,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Senator Jeanne Shaheen: Our understanding is the 
     Senate intends to deliberate on extending Emergency 
     Unemployment Benefits (EUC) when they return from their 
     break. I wanted to take this opportunity to provide you with 
     information on the number of citizens here in New Hampshire 
     who will be affected by the loss of the EUC Program which 
     expired on December 28, 2013.
       The expiration of the EUC Program is projected to 
     immediately effect 1,350 individuals who will lose their 
     benefits at the close of 2013. For each week that EUC is not 
     available, an additional 500 to 600 NH citizens per month 
     exhaust regular UI benefits. The highest impact over the 
     course of one year would be 8,500 citizens of our state. The 
     collective loss of these monies in local communities could be 
     as high as $14 million in 2014. Although New Hampshire is 
     doing much better than most states, there is still a critical 
     need for the EUC Program for new exhaustees throughout 2014.
       The Department of Employment Security fully supports the 
     extension of the EUC Program beyond the expiration of 
     December 28, 2013. As you know the EUC Program provides a 
     lifeline for those individuals along with a little more time 
     and a little more hope as they continue to seek employment 
     opportunities in our communities.
       Please do not hesitate to contact me with any issues or 
     concerns you might have regarding the extension of the 
     Emergency Unemployment Benefits.
       I thank you for your time and consideration of my request.
               Sincerely yours,
     George N. Copadis,
       Commissioner, New Hampshire Employment Security.
     Richard J. Lavers,
       Deputy Commissioner, New Hampshire Employment Security.

  Mrs. SHAHEEN. As these letters show, the impact of a failure to 
extend unemployment benefits is very real for thousands of working 
families in New Hampshire. Of course, that is true, we know, across the 
country. Failing to pass this legislation will hurt our economic 
recovery in New Hampshire. It will hurt the Nation's economic recovery.
  The Economic Policy Institute estimates that the expiration of 
unemployment insurance will cost the economy 310,000 jobs, which is 
roughly the equivalent of a single month of job growth. We know from 
economists from the Congressional Budget Office that each dollar we 
spend on extending unemployment insurance generates about $1.50 in 
economic growth. It is one of the best places we can spend public 
dollars to try to stimulate this economy, to create jobs that can 
ultimately put people who are unemployed back to work.
  Although the unemployment rate has gone down and our economy has 
shown signs of recovery, we still have a lot more to do. We have to get 
more people back to work. There is so much on the line, for jobs, for 
hard-working Americans, and for our economy as a whole. We should pass 
this legislation on behalf of workers and families in New Hampshire and 
across this country.
  I also want to point out that I have filed an amendment to this 
unemployment insurance bill. I hope we will have a chance to vote on 
this amendment. It is identical to a bill I have authored that has 19 
cosponsors, including the Presiding Officer, the Military Retirement 
Restoration Act. This legislation would replace the military retiree 
and benefit cuts that have been included in the recent budget 
agreement. It would do that by closing a tax loophole that some 
corporations use to avoid paying their share of taxes. This provision 
is designed to address corporations that set up shell entities in tax 
havens to avoid being considered an American company and paying at the 
tax rate in the United States. They do that even though these companies 
are controlled and operated on American soil. It would ensure that 
those companies pay American tax rates. I think most people would agree 
that this kind of tax avoidance is unfair, that we should close this 
tax loophole, and we should do that rather than reducing military 
retiree benefits.
  In addition to the 20 cosponsors of the legislation in the Senate, 
there is a similar bill in the House that has 46 cosponsors. My idea of 
how to pay for the military retirement benefit is just one idea. I know 
there are other bills that have been introduced. I am open to those 
other solutions. But I hope we can work in a bipartisanship way to 
replace these cuts before they go into effect in 2 years. It is 
important that we address this issue for the men and women who have 
served this country so well, who have put their lives on the line for 
us. I hope we can do that as part of this legislation when we vote on 
it. If we are not able to do that, I certainly hope we are going to be 
able to address this in the near future.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Pennsylvania.

                          ____________________