[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 10]
[House]
[Page 13384]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   EXTENSION OF UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New 
Jersey (Mr. Payne) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I believe that it is critical to our economic 
recovery to extend unemployment benefits for several more months and 
assist struggling States and local governments so that they can avoid 
layoffs of teachers, police officers, firefighters, and others.
  Right now there are 15 million out-of-work Americans who are waiting 
on the Senate to extend unemployment benefits, which contribute to 
paying mortgages, health care, utility bills, and the cost of food. The 
Democratic unemployment bill would provide unemployment checks 
averaging about $300 to people whose 26 weeks of State-paid benefits 
have run out. The benefits would be extended through the end of 
November.
  We know these benefits not only are a much-needed lifeline for 
jobless Americans and their families. They also provide a proven boost 
to our struggling economy.
  Mr. Speaker, the Democrats are fighting to help middle class 
Americans while the majority of the Republicans are blocking a 
commonsense bill at a time of great economic challenge.
  I urge the Senate to pass the unemployment extension to those 
Americans who are seeking employment every day as they go and look at 
the Web sites and visit companies and are told there is no work. How 
could the Republicans then say that extending unemployment is going to 
keep people from looking for work? They want work. We know that the 
jobs have gone. We need to recreate jobs.
  So let's save middle America so that they will be able to provide for 
the needs of their families.

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