UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS CLEAR FINAL HURDLE

WASHINGTON, DC – House Majority Whip James E. Clyburn today released the following statement after the House took up Senate amendments to H.R. 4213, the Unemployment Compensation Extension Act. This emergency legislation will retroactively extend unemployment insurance benefits to millions of American families that have been left without this vital lifeline for more than 7 weeks as a result of the Republican obstructionist agenda.
“I am pleased that the Democrats were able to break the Republican stalemate and provide millions of Americans with unemployment insurance benefits to support their families and keep their heads above water as they search for work. I expect President Obama to sign this bill into law today, after 7 weeks of Republican obstruction of this critical measure denying over 2.5 million families with the emergency assistance they need.

“Congressional Republicans refused to extend unemployment benefits for these families unless the cost was offset, yet they are fighting to extend hundreds of billions of dollars in tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans without concern for the deficit. Republicans have shown their true colors as they support the wealthy, special interest and big business while denying vital benefits to working Americans who lost their jobs as a result of the Bush recession.”