[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 10]
[Senate]
[Pages 13350-13351]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE

  Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, at 2:30 this afternoon, the Senate will 
vote again on unemployment insurance. This bill is about jobs. This 
bill is about compassion. This bill would extend unemployment insurance 
for people who have lost their jobs.
  This bill is about jobs because unemployment insurance goes to people 
who spend it immediately. That would increase economic demand, and that 
would help support our fragile economic recovery. The nonpartisan 
Congressional Budget Office says that additional unemployment benefits 
would have one of the largest effects on economic output and employment 
per dollar spent compared with any other policy. A fancy term is the 
``multiplier effect.'' Dollars spent on unemployment benefits have a 
much greater effect on the economy, a bigger bang for the buck than 
almost any other dollar expended by the Federal Government. It 
stimulates the economy. Unemployment benefits stimulate the economy, 
and clearly it helps the people who have lost their jobs. Of the 11 
policies CBO analyzed, the Congressional Budget Office ranked 
increasing aid to the unemployed first. It is No. 1. CBO says it will 
create the most jobs per dollar of budgetary cost.
  As I mentioned, this vote is really about compassion. As of this 
week, more than 2.5 million out-of-work Americans have stopped 
receiving unemployment insurance benefits because Congress has failed 
to enact this

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bill. That is more than 2.5 million people who are not getting a 
paycheck to pay the bills. That is more than 2.5 million Americans who 
are not getting any help from unemployment insurance to tide them over. 
These 2.5 million Americans are trying to get work. But there are still 
five people looking for work for every job opening--five looking for 
every job available. They need to get help until they can find that 
job.
  A woman from Helena, MT--the town I was born in--called my office and 
told us that unemployment benefits are keeping her family afloat. She 
was laid off when she was 8 months pregnant. She wants the Senate to 
know she has worked since she was a teenager. She wants to work. And 
she will work again.
  For these 2.5 million Americans, this bill is about the roof over 
their heads. For these 2.5 million Americans, this bill is about 
keeping the electricity on. For these 2.5 million Americans, this bill 
is about food on the table. It is that simple. It is that important.
  A Montana father with three small children was laid off after 18 
years of service because the company could no longer pay his wages. Now 
he has no income. But he continues to look for work. His home is going 
into foreclosure. Unemployment insurance has been his only income. It 
is what puts food on the table for his family.
  This is America. When there is an emergency, we in America do not 
leave people behind. Let's not leave the unemployed behind. We have 
stripped this measure down to the bare essentials. We simply must pass 
this bill. This afternoon, I urge my colleagues to vote for cloture and 
move this important bill.

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