[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 18]
[Senate]
[Pages 24922-24923]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION

  Ms. STABENOW. Mr. President, I rise this afternoon to discuss our 
efforts to extend unemployment benefits to over 15 million people who 
are looking for work today. That is only the number of people we know 
are out there based on the unemployment statistics, not those who have 
tried for a long time and been unsuccessful and are currently neither 
in the workforce nor are working two or three or four part-time jobs 
trying to hold things together for themselves and their families. We do 
know this. Over 15 million people today who are trying to support their 
families in this very tough economic time need our help immediately to 
stay afloat.
  Two nights ago I asked for agreement to move to the unemployment 
insurance bill. Our leader had asked for agreement to do that before. 
This has already passed the House and is awaiting Senate action. 
Unfortunately, Republican colleagues objected. They have objected 
several times and continue to object to our bringing forward an effort 
to help families who, through no fault of their own, find themselves in 
an extraordinarily difficult situation, relying on unemployment in 
order to be able to keep their families afloat.
  Unemployment is not a partisan issue. Right now, 14 States and the 
District of Columbia, blue States and red States, have unemployment 
rates over 10 percent: Illinois, Georgia, Alabama, Florida, North 
Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, Kentucky, South Carolina, California, 
Oregon, Rhode Island, Nevada and, of course, my great State of 
Michigan, where we are now seeing over a 15.3-percent unemployment 
rate, the highest in the country.
  Our people are hurting and they have been hurting for a long time. I 
was very proud of our President as he came into office for 
understanding that and joining with us in a recovery package to make 
sure we were extending unemployment at the beginning of the year. But 
unfortunately the recession continues and people are still hurting. 
Democrats are unemployed and Republicans are unemployed. The people 
getting unemployment insurance are looking for work, they are pounding 
the pavement and they are putting in applications every day. This is 
not their fault.
  The economic situation in this country is not their fault. The bank 
failures are not their fault. The foreclosure crisis is not their 
fault. But they are the ones paying the price every single day. Every 
single day, every single time the other side objects to bringing up 
this bill, people across the country are hurting. They are exhausting 
their unemployment insurance and are being left with no way to pay the 
mortgage, to take the kids to the doctor, to pay their heating bills, 
to be able to hold it together, waiting for this economy to turn around 
and jobs to be available, jobs they so desperately want.
  It is getting cold outside. Winter is coming and families across the 
country are turning on their heaters for the first time in months. They 
need us to

[[Page 24923]]

extend unemployment insurance so they can keep the heat on for their 
kids. Pulling the rug out from under these hard-working men and women 
doesn't just hurt them and their families, it hurts every community and 
it hurts our economy in America. When they can afford to pay their 
bills, that money goes back into the economy, as we know. We know that 
for every $1 spent on unemployment benefits, $2.15 goes back into the 
economy. That is exactly what we need at this point--immediate 
stimulus.
  This is an incredibly difficult time for families, certainly in my 
State and all across the country. Blocking this legislation, saying no 
to everything, delaying everything--that is not going to pull us out of 
this recession and it is not going to help American families.
  The time to act is now, right now. I urge my colleagues to stop 
blocking an important effort to help working men and women in this 
country, people who have followed the rules all their lives, have done 
nothing but find themselves at this place and this time, with the 
economy where it is, as we rebuild it--and we are and we will. We need 
to support them so they can do the right thing for their families and 
keep a roof over their heads and food on the table and the lights on 
and the heat on and know that their country has got their back.
  That is what this is about. We need to pass the extension of 
unemployment insurance now. I hope we will.
  I yield the floor and I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. BROWN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the order for the 
quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. BROWN. I ask unanimous consent to speak up to 10 minutes as in 
morning business.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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