[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 69 (Thursday, May 8, 2014)]
[House]
[Page H3953]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE

  (Mr. PALLONE asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I ask the Republican leadership to bring up 
the bill that would extend critical unemployment insurance. So far, the 
gentleman from Ohio, Speaker Boehner, is telling struggling Americans 
that they are out of luck and out of money.
  This bill was passed in the Senate on a bipartisan basis, 65-34, to 
move forward to help people who are unemployed, and yet the Republican 
leadership here still refuses to bring it up. It is also completely 
paid for. Still, the Republicans insist that there is no longer an 
emergency and that unemployment numbers are dropping, but the reality 
is just the opposite.
  Long-term unemployment, defined as being out of work for 27 weeks or 
more, has not been this high since World War II. And we know that 
anyone receiving unemployment benefits, when they get their check, the 
money goes right back into the economy. In fact, unemployment insurance 
generates $1.52 in economic activity for every $1 spent.
  So why does the Republican leadership simply not bring this up? 
Instead, they focus on issues like Benghazi or setting up a select 
committee on Benghazi. They should be focusing on job creation--
creating jobs--and helping the unemployed.

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