[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 5 (Thursday, January 9, 2014)]
[House]
[Page H87]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE EXPIRATION

  (Mr. CROWLEY asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, for many people, a new year marks a time of 
hope and optimism. But millions of Americans are, instead, beginning 
this year with fear and worry. They are wondering how they are going to 
make ends meet, pay their rent, or put food on the table. That is 
because they woke up just a few days after Christmas to find that their 
emergency unemployment assistance had been terminated, cutting them off 
from a needed lifeline.
  Now, that is just about the cruelest thing I can think of happening. 
It is mean. It is unnecessary. It is kicking people who are already 
down. It is just plain shameful. It is shameful. And it is not the kind 
of America I believe in.
  Shouldn't we be embracing policies like unemployment insurance that 
keep families afloat? Shouldn't we be looking at our communities, our 
neighbors, and saying, yes, America will be there for you in your time 
of need?
  Yes, we should say that.
  To every one of my colleagues, I say join us in doing the right thing 
and restoring these needed benefits today. We need to do the right 
thing and not the wrong thing, and we need to do that now.

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