[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 19]
[House]
[Page 25596]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




     SENATE EXERCISING PETTY PARTISANSHIP ON UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS

  (Mr. McDERMOTT asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. McDERMOTT. Madam Speaker, exactly one month ago today the House 
cast aside partisanship to work together and overwhelmingly pass 
legislation to extend unemployment benefits, which are running out for 
an average of 7,000 Americans every day.
  While my Republican colleagues in the House recognize that 
unemployment is an American issue that transcends politics, Senate 
Republicans are oblivious to the urgent need to pass legislation 
because people are hanging on by their fingernails. Instead, the Senate 
Republicans have a choke hold on legislation to extend unemployment 
insurance benefits, and Americans who need the help the House passed a 
month ago aren't going to get helped until Senate Republicans stop 
playing partisan games.
  There are positive signs the economy has turned the corner, but the 
Senate Republicans know what everyone else knows, that unemployment 
always takes longer to recover. But they still have a choke hold on the 
bill, which is a choke hold on nurturing the economic recovery.
  A caller to my office this morning put it best: There is one reason 
you may not be able to buy food for your family next week, and it is 
called the Senate Republicans. Maybe they are the ones who ought to be 
out of work.
  Maybe then the Republicans in the Senate would understand what it 
means to look to Washington for leadership but see petty partisanship 
instead.
  Release the choke hold and pass the bill to extend unemployment 
benefits. Thousands of Americans can wait no longer.

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