[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 12]
[House]
[Page 17552]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




             EMERGENCY UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION EXTENSION

  (Mr. PETERS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. PETERS. I rise today in support of H.R. 3345, an act to continue 
the current Federal unemployment programs through next year. If 
Congress doesn't act by the end of the year, Americans who have lost 
their jobs through no fault of their own will begin losing their 
unemployment benefits in January. Tens of thousands of Michiganders 
will lose their benefits by February. These benefits are their lifeline 
for necessities like groceries, utilities, and rent or mortgage 
payments. Once these families can no longer pay for basic necessities, 
it will create a ripple effect, costing nearly a million U.S. jobs 
nationwide.
  Poverty is at its highest level since 1993, and middle class 
household incomes are at their lowest level since 1997. Unemployment 
benefits have kept over 3 million Americans, including 1 million 
children, out of poverty last year. And now the Republicans are willing 
to let these necessary benefits expire.
  Madam Speaker, as we approach the holiday season and millions of 
Americans are worried about paying their rent, I urge my colleagues to 
support this bill and keep millions of Americans out of poverty.

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