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[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 161 (Friday, October 3, 2008)]
[House]
[Pages H10808-H10814]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

            UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION EXTENSION ACT OF 2008

  Mr. RANGEL. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 6867) to provide for additional emergency unemployment 
compensation, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 6867

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Unemployment Compensation 
     Extension Act of 2008''.

     SEC. 2. ADDITIONAL FIRST-TIER BENEFITS.

       Section 4002(b)(1) of the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 
     2008 (26 U.S.C. 3304 note) is amended--
       (1) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``50'' and inserting 
     ``80''; and
       (2) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``13'' and inserting 
     ``20''.

     SEC. 3. SECOND-TIER BENEFITS.

       Section 4002 of the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2008 
     (26 U.S.C. 3304 note) is amended by adding at the end the 
     following:
       ``(c) Special Rule.--
       ``(1) In general.--If, at the time that the amount 
     established in an individual's account under subsection 
     (b)(1) is exhausted or at any time thereafter, such 
     individual's State is in an extended benefit period (as 
     determined under paragraph (2)), such account shall be 
     augmented by an amount equal to the lesser of--
       ``(A) 50 percent of the total amount of regular 
     compensation (including dependents' allowances) payable to 
     the individual during the individual's benefit year under the 
     State law, or
       ``(B) 13 times the individual's average weekly benefit 
     amount (as determined under subsection (b)(2)) for the 
     benefit year.
       ``(2) Extended benefit period.--For purposes of paragraph 
     (1), a State shall be considered to be in an extended benefit 
     period, as of any given time, if--
       ``(A) such a period is then in effect for such State under 
     the Federal-State Extended Unemployment Compensation Act of 
     1970;
       ``(B) such a period would then be in effect for such State 
     under such Act if section 203(d) of such Act--
       ``(i) were applied by substituting `4' for `5' each place 
     it appears; and
       ``(ii) did not include the requirement under paragraph 
     (1)(A) thereof; or
       ``(C) such a period would then be in effect for such State 
     under such Act if--
       ``(i) section 203(f) of such Act were applied to such State 
     (regardless of whether the State by law had provided for such 
     application); and
       ``(ii) such section 203(f)--

       ``(I) were applied by substituting `6.0' for `6.5' in 
     paragraph (1)(A)(i) thereof; and
       ``(II) did not include the requirement under paragraph 
     (1)(A)(ii) thereof.

       ``(3) Limitation.--The account of an individual may be 
     augmented not more than once under this subsection.''.

     SEC. 4. PHASEOUT PROVISIONS.

       Section 4007(b) of the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 
     2008 (26 U.S.C. 3304 note) is amended--
       (1) in paragraph (1), by striking ``paragraph (2),'' and 
     inserting ``paragraphs (2) and (3),''; and
       (2) by striking paragraph (2) and inserting the following:
       ``(2) No augmentation after march 31, 2009.--If the amount 
     established in an individual's account under subsection 
     (b)(1) is exhausted after March 31, 2009, then section 
     4002(c) shall not apply and such account shall not be 
     augmented under such section, regardless of whether such 
     individual's State is in an extended benefit period (as 
     determined under paragraph (2) of such section).
       ``(3) Termination.--No compensation under this title shall 
     be payable for any week beginning after August 27, 2009.''.

     SEC. 5. TEMPORARY FEDERAL MATCHING FOR THE FIRST WEEK OF 
                   EXTENDED BENEFITS FOR STATES WITH NO WAITING 
                   WEEK.

       With respect to weeks of unemployment beginning after the 
     date of the enactment of this Act and ending on or before 
     December 8, 2009, subparagraph (B) of section 204(a)(2) of 
     the Federal-State Extended Unemployment Compensation Act of 
     1970 (26 U.S.C. 3304 note) shall not apply.

     SEC. 6. EFFECTIVE DATE.

       (a) In General.--The amendments made by sections 2, 3, and 
     4 shall apply as if included in the enactment of the 
     Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2008, subject to subsection 
     (b).
       (b) Additional Benefits.--In applying the amendments made 
     by sections 2 and 3, any additional emergency unemployment 
     compensation made payable by such amendments (which would not 
     otherwise have been

[[Page H10809]]

     payable if such amendments had not been enacted) shall be 
     payable only with respect to any week of unemployment 
     beginning on or after the date of the enactment of this Act.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New 
York (Mr. Rangel) and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Weller) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York.
  Mr. RANGEL. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, this might be anti-climatic. The House, for weeks, and 
indeed days, in the past hours, have attempted to save the free world 
from a fiscal disaster. We have bailed out the banks and those who held 
mortgages. At the same time, we provided for energy extensions, we 
provided tax breaks for those people that tax provisions have expired. 
We provided for hurricane relief, for mental health. So over $1 
trillion is out there for this House to ease the pain of millions of 
Americans.
  While we were dealing with these gigantic powers, we overlooked the 
fact that over the last 12 months the number of unemployed workers has 
jumped by over 2 million, leaving 10 million Americans struggling for 
work. These are not ordinary Americans. These are hardworking people 
that raise their family with some degree of dignity that have lost 
their jobs through no fault of their own.
  So the falling sky as relates to the fiscal situation we find today, 
so many forget that these people do not have the resources to put food 
on the table; to pay their rent and mortgages; to keep their kids in 
school; to meet their medical expenses, or even to pay for the 
increased price of gasoline.
  One member of the committee and of this Congress, Dr. McDermott, has 
never let us forget, no matter how big the problem we are trying to do, 
in terms of looking for alternatives to fossil fuels, he has dedicated 
his life to make certain that these faceless people who have lost their 
jobs, that America and this Congress attempt to provide some 
compensation.
  We can't return their dignity. In many cases, we can't return their 
homes. But we can help.
  I ask unanimous consent that I be allowed to yield the remainder of 
my time to Dr. Congressman McDermott to see fit how he yields the 
remainder of time assigned to us for this purpose.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New York?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. WELLER of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  I rise in support of this important legislation in order to provide 
additional needed assistance to the long-term unemployed. As my 
colleagues on both sides of the aisle will note today, this is an issue 
that truly matters to millions of Americans, and it's important that we 
pass this legislation today as our last act before we leave for the 
election campaign.
  As data released just this morning shows, that need is rising. While 
the unemployment rate remains steady at 6.1 percent, the number of 
unemployed grew once again to a total of 9.5 million Americans. In the 
past year, 2.2 million Americans have been added to the ranks of the 
unemployed. Even more importantly, for purposes of this legislation 
before us today, the number of long-term unemployed, those who have 
been out of work for more than 6 months and who are in need of extended 
benefits, increased by 167,000, to over 2 million.
  In my home State of Illinois, the numbers are, if anything, even 
worse. The current unemployment rate is 7.3 percent, and nearly half a 
million of my fellow Illinois citizens are out of work.
  The people who would benefit most by this legislation are long-term 
unemployed people who want to work and are searching for a job, but not 
able to find one. Today's rising level of unemployment goes a long way 
to explaining why it is so hard for them to find a new job and why this 
additional assistance is needed today.
  This legislation focuses the most additional benefits on workers and 
States where the unemployment rate is highest and where jobs are 
hardest to find. That sort of targeting is something Republicans have 
been calling for all this year.
  Madam Speaker, I expect that passage today of this current extended 
benefits program will be bipartisan, just as we acted in a bipartisan 
way in June to create this temporary extended benefits program. Like 
the similar program we created after the 2001 recession and the 9/11 
attacks, this program helps those who are out of work the longest, at a 
time when jobs are increasingly hard to find.
  My colleagues should know this program continues the requirement that 
those benefiting from extended unemployment benefits had to have worked 
at least 20 weeks. This requirement has been in Federal law since 1981. 
That is why Americans were rightly concerned about proposals to 
eliminate that work requirement and allow 39 weeks or, under the 
legislation before us today, as many as 59 weeks of total unemployment 
benefits to be paid to those who have previously only worked for a few 
weeks.

                              {time}  1345

  The program we are expanding today and passing today maintains this 
commonsense ``20 weeks of work'' rule, which ensures balance between 
work and taxes paid in and benefits paid out.
  Madam Speaker, I wish this legislation were not necessary, but today 
it is. The economic concerns affecting the stock and credit markets 
that we all see have real effects on real people with real jobs. This 
legislation says we will provide additional assistance to those who 
have been hurt the most and have been out of work the longest.
  I particularly want to thank my colleagues Jon Porter of Nevada and 
Phil English of Pennsylvania, who have been leaders on this issue, 
urging the House to act. I know they cosponsored this legislation 
before us today.
  Today's action is a useful step, but we need to do more to promote a 
stronger economy so that those who today need these benefits can return 
to their former work or find new, good-paying jobs to support their 
families. That task remains before this Congress and is something this 
Congress needs to refocus on in the months ahead.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. McDERMOTT. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Madam Speaker, I want to thank the chairman for his dedication to 
this issue and pushing it at all the meetings so we finally got it on 
the floor one last time.
  For the last 2 weeks we have been talking about Wall Street, but it 
is time to turn our attention to Main Street, to all the decent, 
hardworking people who play by the rules but lost their jobs through no 
fault of their own.
  Our economy has lost jobs for the last 9 months in a row, including 
10 million Americans now unemployed and unable to find work. Today we 
got the figures and found out last month the economy lost 159,000 jobs. 
That is the biggest 1-month job loss in more than 5 years. In my home 
State of Washington, the unemployment rate has increased by nearly 30 
percent over just the last 5 months.
  Today we face a simple choice: Are we going to help these workers who 
have lost their jobs through no fault of their own, or are we going to 
sit on the sideline and watch them suffer? This bill says we can and we 
must help.
  The legislation provides another 7 weeks of extended unemployment 
benefits in every State, plus an additional 13 weeks in high 
unemployment States who have more than 6 percent. This assistance will 
not cost a penny, because it really comes from the unemployment trust 
funds that we have already collected.
  Our economy has lost 760,000 jobs this year, nearly 1 million more 
workers have joined the ranks of unemployment since Congress provided 
the last extension of unemployment benefits in June, and the number of 
States with high unemployment has doubled. If we don't act today, 
nearly 800,000 Americans will exhaust their benefits in the next few 
weeks. Even if you don't care about how these people feed their 
families, at least consider how much the economy will deteriorate if 
they stop buying goods and services.
  I strongly urge a ``yes'' vote to extend unemployment benefits for 
people who are suffering in this country.

[[Page H10810]]

  I reserve my time.
  Mr. WELLER of Illinois. Madam Speaker, at this time I want to yield 3 
minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Porter), who I 
note is not only a valuable member of this subcommittee, but has been a 
leader in calling for action by the House on extending unemployment 
benefits.
  Mr. PORTER. Madam Speaker, I would like to compliment our chairman 
and ranking member and other Members of this body who have worked very 
hard to try to help families and working individuals across the 
country.
  I would like to talk a little bit about the State of Nevada and some 
of the challenges that we are facing. State economists today say that 
they expect that next year our unemployment rate in Nevada should rise 
to about 8.6 percent and stay there through 2010, a striking example of 
why we need to pass this legislation. As a Congress, we have failed to 
pass a comprehensive energy bill, which has caused us serious 
challenges in Nevada. But let me talk about some of the specifics.
  Individuals are not traveling to Nevada as they used to, although now 
is the time to travel. We have some of the best bargains in the world. 
But I can assure you that because of the cost of living, the cost of 
fuel, with the highest foreclosure rate in the country in my district 
alone, we are having some major impacts occur on our families. We need 
to find a way to help these families immediately, and I applaud 
Congress for its actions today, for the relief package for millions of 
Americans. This is one more step to help those working families.
  As I mentioned, we are facing serious economic challenges in Nevada. 
We have had three bank failures to date, and I have heard from numerous 
families over and over again and their neighbors and friends as to the 
impact of the bank foreclosures.
  We need to find additional action. This is it. Again, I applaud my 
colleagues here in Congress for having the foresight, and to the 
chairman, I appreciate it.
  Mr. McDERMOTT. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Michigan (Mr. Levin).
  (Mr. LEVIN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. LEVIN. Madam Speaker, this morning a jobs report came out. It 
paints a truly devastating picture for the American economy and for 
American families.
  In September, we had the biggest 1-month job loss in over 5 years. 
Long-term unemployed rose dramatically, up 167,000, to a total of 2 
million; 775,000 people will exhaust the first emergency extension this 
month alone, over 1 million by the end of the year, unless we act. New 
claims for unemployment are at a 7-year high. And I point this out 
finally, the statistics are startling. Let's look beyond the statistics 
to the people involved. In total, there are now 9.5 million people in 
our country looking for work, the most since 1992.
  I simply would ask those who would vote against this, come down to 
the floor and explain not only to their district, but the American 
people, why they would not vote ``yes'' on the extension of 
unemployment compensation.
  Mr. WELLER of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. McDERMOTT. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman 
from Ohio (Ms. Sutton).
  Ms. SUTTON. I thank the gentleman for yielding and for his leadership 
on this very important matter.
  Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of the Unemployment 
Compensation Extension Act, which we must pass here today. After 8 
years of failed policies and economic pain, the families in my district 
and across Ohio are trying to hang on.
  Since 2001, 1,087 Ohio factories, companies and operations have shut 
down or had massive layoffs. That is one company shutting down or 
laying off workers every 2\1/2\ days for 8 straight years. That is an 
average of 61 jobs lost each day due to shutdowns or layoffs. In fact, 
since 2001, Ohio has lost over 200,000 manufacturing jobs alone, and 
now our State's unemployment rate is 7.4 percent, nearly double the 
2001 level.
  In order to keep our families strong and workers competitive, we must 
extend these unemployment benefits.
  Madam Speaker, 22,478 unemployed workers in my home State of Ohio 
will lose their benefits in October, and a total of 34,389 will lose 
their benefits between October and December, right before the holidays.
  Madam Speaker, we must act here to pass this bill with the same sense 
of urgency to help our families as we did to pass the economic recovery 
package just voted on to free up the credit markets. Extending these 
unemployment benefits is critical. We must extend them to help our 
workers who are struggling to find jobs.
  Mr. WELLER of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I continue to reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. McDERMOTT. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman 
from New York (Mrs. Maloney).
  Mrs. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for 
yielding and for his extraordinary leadership on this important bill.
  The economy has shed nearly 1 million private sector jobs this year 
and 9.5 million workers are unemployed, 2.2 million more than a year 
ago. As this chart shows, unemployment is particularly high in nearly 
half of the States. The red shows where unemployment is over 6 percent, 
the orange is where it is 5 percent.
  In high unemployment States, over a third of the workers who have 
lost their jobs, through no fault of their own, are exhausting even 
their extended unemployment benefits. Nearly 800,000 workers will be 
left without additional Federal jobless benefits starting next week 
when their extension is set to run out. Over half of these workers live 
in high unemployment States.
  Congress has extended benefits to the States hardest hit by 
unemployment in every other downturn in the past 25 years. This bill 
will bring relief to families struggling to find work and make ends 
meet and also boost our sagging economy.
  In light of today's jobless numbers, I urge a strong yes vote on this 
important bill.
  Mr. WELLER of Illinois. I continue to reserve my time.
  Mr. McDERMOTT. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman 
from Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro).
  Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, we all know our economy is rapidly 
deteriorating and we have a responsibility to act. Today we passed an 
economic stabilization bill that we worked to benefit everyone, 
allowing individuals and businesses across the country critical access 
to the credit that they need. The package also included tax provisions 
to bring further relief to the middle class, protecting hardworking 
Americans from the encroaching alternative minimum tax, expand the 
child tax credit, and create jobs through renewable energy and research 
and development tax credits. Yet we must do more to help those in need.
  So far this year, 760,000 jobs have disappeared. The Labor Department 
reported today that the economy shed 159,000 jobs in September, the 
ninth straight month of job losses and the most in more than 5 years. 
The unemployment rate is now at 6.1 percent, the highest level in 5 
years. This August, Connecticut unemployment reached 6.5 percent, the 
highest since 1993, and wages remained stagnant.
  The legislation we consider today will provide 7 additional weeks of 
extended benefits for workers in every State, extend eligibility to 20 
weeks, and provides another 13 weeks for workers in States with the 
unemployment rate of 6 percent or higher. With 800,000 workers 
currently set to exhaust their extended benefits in October, this could 
not be more urgent.
  In the long run, we need to provide real stimulus to help the middle 
class, create jobs by investing in infrastructure and renewable energy 
and provide the middle class with much-needed tax relief. Extending 
unemployment insurance is one of the best options to stimulate the 
economy. It is good economics, and it is basic human decency.
  Mr. WELLER of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. McDERMOTT. Madam Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the 
gentlewoman from Hawaii (Ms. Hirono).
  Ms. HIRONO. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for your leadership on this very 
important issue.

[[Page H10811]]

  Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 6867, the 
Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2008. We heard this morning 
that the national unemployment rate was 6.1 percent in September and 
9.5 million Americans are out of work, 2.2 million more unemployed 
workers than just 1 year ago.
  The unemployment rate in Hawaii has gone up from 2.7 percent in 
August 2007, one of the lowest in the country, to 4.2 percent in August 
of 2008. That increase amounted to 10,800 more people out of work in my 
State in just 1 year. The 28,100 unemployed men and women in Hawaii are 
struggling to pay their mortgages, health premiums and energy costs 
while they continue to look for work in the middle of an economic 
downturn.
  Many Hawaii businesses have closed their doors or laid off workers in 
the last year, including Aloha Airlines, ATA, Maui Land and Pine, and 
Norwegian Cruise Line. The Hawaii economy is struggling. Tourism, 
agriculture and retail are all down, making it harder for people in our 
State to find new jobs.
  Congress must act now to provide help for the 9.5 million Americans 
who are out of work. Nearly 800,000 of these workers are projected to 
exhaust their extended unemployment benefits this month. Over the next 
3 months, over 2,400 unemployed workers in Hawaii will exhaust their 
benefits, leaving thousands of Hawaii families out of work and out of 
money.
  We have before us an important bill that would extend these benefits 
for 7 weeks for the thousands of unemployed in Hawaii and across our 
country. I urge a yes vote on this measure.

                              {time}  1400

  Mr. WELLER of Illinois. I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. McDERMOTT. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Ohio (Mr. Kucinich).
  Mr. KUCINICH. I want to thank my friend Mr. McDermott for his hard 
work on this important bill, and I rise in support of the Unemployment 
Compensation Extension Act.
  The national unemployment rate is 6.1 percent, while the latest 
unemployment data for my State of Ohio reports a 7.4 percent 
unemployment rate. These numbers are expected to rise in the coming 
months.
  With the loss of an additional 159,000 jobs in September, the 
American economy is experiencing a ninth consecutive month of job loss. 
Manufacturing are the hardest hit, with the loss of an additional 
51,000 jobs in September and the loss of approximately 442,000 jobs 
this time a year ago.
  Furthermore, unemployment is disproportionately affecting African-
American men at 11.9 percent unemployment and workers without high 
school degrees at 9.6 unemployment. The number of workers involuntarily 
unemployed in a part-time job increased by an additional 300,000 in 
September.
  The Unemployment Compensation Extension Act will provide an 
additional 7 weeks of unemployment benefits to our workers who 
exhausted their benefits. For States with unemployment rates at or in 
excess of 6 percent, the bill will ensure an additional 13 weeks of 
unemployment compensation.
  Just moments ago, the House of Representatives passed a bill which 
will give Wall Street $700 billion. The least we can do is help give a 
little bit more unemployment compensation to American workers.
  Mr. WELLER of Illinois. I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. McDERMOTT. Madam Speaker, could we know the time that is 
available?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman has 6 minutes remaining. The 
gentleman from Illinois has 14\1/2\ minutes.
  Mr. McDERMOTT. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman 
from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee).
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. I thank the chairman for having the wisdom 
to bring this legislation up.
  If you look at my State, you will see that Texas is just a smidgeon 
below turning red, and not on politics, but on the numbers of 
individuals unemployed.
  As was indicated, we just voted on an emergency stimulus package on 
which I originally voted no. But looking at these numbers, having my 
car dealerships call me and tell me about the freezing of credit, with 
great difficulty I voted yes. But today is an acknowledgement that we 
are in crisis. 159,000 people today are unemployed, making a total of 
759,000 people.
  This emergency stimulus package or this emergency rescue package has 
got to focus on Mr. and Mrs. America. That is what the extension of 
unemployment benefits represents, so that Ms. Jackson in my district 
who has a high adjusted mortgage rate can still keep her job. We have 
got to keep her job and keep a house. And that is what my vote was 
today on the rescue package. That is why I am supporting these 
extenders, because we have got a crisis, folks. And this party, this 
Democratic Congress, this new President must address this question.
  Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 6867, the Unemployment 
Compensation Extension Act introduced by Congressman McDermott of 
Washington.

                               Background

  On June 30, 2008, the Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC08) 
program was created by Public Law 110-252. This new temporary 
unemployment insurance program provided up to 13 additional weeks of 
unemployment benefits to certain workers who had exhausted their rights 
to regular unemployment compensation (UC) benefits.
  Unfortunately, over 1 million workers have joined the ranks of the 
unemployed since Congress enacted the Extended Unemployment 
Compensation (EUC) program in June, and over 800,000 workers are 
projected to exhaust their current extended benefits if we do not act 
now.
  Hurricanes Rita, Gustav, and Ike have wreaked havoc on the gulf 
coast, and in my district of Houston, Texas I have seen people with out 
food and water. This devastation has also clearly affected the job 
market and has forced many hardworking Houstonians into the 
unemployment lines.

                          General--Statistics

  The U.S. economy has lost jobs in every single month of 2008. This 
past month, the economy suffered its biggest 1-month job loss 
(-159,000) in over 5 years. With over 9.5 million unemployed workers 
the national unemployment rate is at a 5-year high of 6.1 percent. New 
claims for unemployment benefits just hit a 7-year high in mid-
September. In total, the economy has shed 760,000 jobs since the 
beginning of the year.
  Over the past year, the number of unemployed Americans has increased 
by 2.2 million. New claims for unemployment benefits just hit a 7-year 
high in mid-September. In July, there were 2.6 jobless workers for 
every available job. More than one out of every five unemployed workers 
has been jobless for over 6 months. The number of long-term unemployed 
(2 million) is up 57 percent over the last 12 months with 89 
metropolitan areas having a jobless rate of at least 7 percent.
  From January to May, 5 consecutive months, the U.S. economy has lost 
jobs. The unemployment rate had its biggest 1-month increase in over 20 
years in May of this year.
  The Congressional Budget Office, CBO, says that extending 
unemployment benefits is one of the most cost-effective and fastest 
acting forms of economic stimulus because the money is spent quickly.
  Congress has enacted federally-funded extended unemployment benefit 
programs on seven different occasions over the last 50 years in 
response to economic weakness (1958, 1961, 1972, 1975, 1982, 1991, and 
2002).
  In addition to those already seeking employment, statistics from 
recent years show an average of 100,000 additional job seekers entering 
the labor market in Texas alone, between the months of April and June.
  The unemployment rates for adult men (4.9 percent), adult women (4.8 
percent), teenagers (18.7 percent), whites (4.9 percent), and blacks 
(9.7 percent) rose in May. The jobless rate for Hispanics (6.9 percent) 
was unchanged. The unemployment rate for Asians was 3.8 percent.

                               Conclusion

  Unemployment is at record highs. This affects the very heart of our 
American families. We must act now to extend these benefits. I urge my 
colleagues to vote for H.R. 6867 and support American families.
  Mr. WELLER of Illinois. Madam Speaker, at this time it is a privilege 
to yield 3 minutes to the distinguished Member from Pennsylvania, a 
senior member of the Ways and Means Committee, and one who has 
advocated that the House act quickly in providing extended unemployment 
benefits and a cosponsor of this legislation, Mr. English.
  Mr. ENGLISH of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, let me just say first off 
I think we all owe a great debt of

[[Page H10812]]

gratitude to the chairman of the subcommittee and also the ranking 
member.
  The chairman of the subcommittee has approached the extended 
unemployment benefit issue with the sense of urgency that it deserves, 
and it has been a privilege for me to serve as a cosponsor of the 
initial legislation that was reported out of our committee.
  Today, I think it is very important that we act, because in my 
neighborhood on the west side of Erie, Pennsylvania, people have been 
increasingly uncomfortable about the growing financial challenges 
facing our country. But for them, their highest concern and their most 
immediate concern is their job. And with rising unemployment rates and 
big challenges in the economy, it is important that we act today to 
give everyone on unemployment extra weeks of benefits in order to 
develop a sound footing, to be in a position to have extra time with 
extra weekly paychecks in order to meet their needs, in order to cover 
their mortgage, in order to put money back into the community. This 
will have a positive multiplier effect in many communities in this 
country and in neighborhoods like mine on the west side of Erie, 
Pennsylvania.
  I think it is important, having acted today to stabilize Wall Street, 
that we reach out to Main Street and beyond to West 6th Street in Erie, 
where people are facing real concerns about their employment prospects, 
where people need to know that the safety net is going to be there if 
they are laid off.
  This is a bipartisan issue, one that should rise above partisan 
politics, one that I think should speak to the philosophy of virtually 
everyone in this chamber. I urge the passage of this legislation. I 
urge that we act now to get it done and we reassure the working 
families of America that this safety net is going to be there for them.
  Mr. McDERMOTT. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlelady from 
Ohio (Ms. Kaptur).
  Ms. KAPTUR. I thank the chairman of the subcommittee for yielding to 
me, and I want to thank him for being a true leader for those who are 
unemployed across our country, so many of them in the State of Ohio. I 
know how hard Congressman Jim McDermott has worked on this legislation. 
And I have to say I come to the microphone with a heavy heart, because 
I obviously did not support the $870 billion for Wall Street, and now 
we come with $6 billion, 6 precious billion dollars that these people 
earned and sent into the tax coffers of this country. And we are going 
to give it back to them as a gift?
  I am getting tired as a Democrat of picking up the wreckage across 
America. When is my party really going to stand up to Wall Street and 
the outsourcing of jobs? This isn't good enough. This isn't good enough 
for the people who have sent us here. They have earned it. Those people 
at Treasury didn't earn it. Wall Street didn't earn it. They squandered 
our money.
  So today, because of Congressman McDermott's leadership, at least we 
have a lifeline to the people who are paying the tax dollars. They are 
going to be rerouted to Wall Street and then they are going to send 
half of it abroad.
  I rise in support of this legislation because it is the least we 
should do, but it isn't the most we should be doing.
  Mr. WELLER of Illinois. I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. McDERMOTT. Madam Speaker, does the gentleman have other speakers?
  Mr. WELLER of Illinois. We have no additional speakers. There may be 
other Members coming, but we're not aware of any additional speakers.
  Mr. McDERMOTT. I don't have any either, so if you're ready to close, 
go ahead.
  Mr. WELLER of Illinois. The gentleman has no additional speakers?
  Mr. McDERMOTT. I have no additional speakers.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Illinois is recognized to 
close.
  Mr. WELLER of Illinois. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
  Just a couple of weeks ago my friend Jim McDermott, the chairman of 
our subcommittee, and I were on the floor with our bipartisan child 
welfare legislation, legislation that is going to become law. At that 
time, I thought that would probably and likely be the last time I would 
be working with the chairman to manage important legislation before 
this House. But I want to thank Chairman McDermott for recognizing the 
urgency and the importance of bringing this important legislation to 
the floor.
  The bottom line is there are Americans who are hurting today. 
Unemployment is up. The numbers that we saw this morning show that 
there are more Americans who are unemployed than there were last month. 
The State I represent, the State of Illinois, has a current 
unemployment rate of 7.3 percent. Half a million Illinoisans are out of 
work. This legislation will particularly help those Illinois 
constituents of mine who have been unemployed for a long time, they 
have exhausted their benefits, they have had a hard time finding a new 
job. But they still have to put food on the table, they still have to 
make ends meet, they still need to provide for their families. And this 
legislation will help ensure they have the help they need.
  Again, I want to thank my chairman for not only his partnership, but 
his friendship, and say that it has been an enjoyable experience to 
work as his ranking member on this subcommittee.
  And again, Mr. Chairman, I believe this will be the last time I speak 
before the House of Representatives unless we have a lame duck session. 
There are issues we do need to address in that lame duck session, and 
we need to find ways to continue to grow this economy. To me, that is 
cause enough to have a lame duck session after the elections. But if 
not, Mr. Chairman, I want to thank you for your partnership on this 
legislation which is so important to millions of Americans, almost 10 
million Americans who today are unemployed looking for work. We want to 
help those who are looking for work.
  This legislation deserves bipartisan support. I hope it passes 
unanimously. Madam Speaker, again, I urge bipartisan support. I urge an 
``aye'' vote.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. McDERMOTT. It has been a pleasure to work with you, Mr. Weller. I 
know I am not supposed to speak to another Member on the floor, but I 
just did anyway.
  I would ask unanimous consent that I be allowed to let Mr. Emanuel 
say 30 seconds.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Washington?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. EMANUEL. Madam Speaker, today we have learned that things have 
only gotten worse: 159,000 American jobs were lost in September, the 
biggest decline since March 2003. I am pleased we are taking this 
action today.

                  On the Retirement of Hon. Ray LaHood

  But while I have the attention of the Members, I would like to say 
one thing about a colleague who isn't here but this is his last day, a 
person who I have gotten to know over the years working, Ray LaHood. 
This will be his last day here in Congress. He has been a member of the 
Capitol, both as staff to Bob Michel as well as a Member of Congress.
  For all those who are watching, both Ray and I come from Illinois. 
Ray is a Republican and I am a Democrat. Ray is a Lebanese American, I 
am a Jewish American. He is supporting John McCain, and I am supporting 
Barack Obama. He is a great friend of mine. I have learned a lot about 
him. That type of friendship, that type of people from two different 
experiences, you can only find in one country in the world, and that is 
here in America. Two people from totally different backgrounds who have 
developed a great friendship both not only as individuals, not only as 
people who work together, but as family. And I will just tell you, I am 
going to sorely miss somebody who I have gotten to know as a good 
friend, somebody who in my opinion, if you look back and I think if you 
ask all our colleagues, somebody when our framers thought of a member 
of Congress what they had in their mind's eye, that person would be Ray 
LaHood, whose decency, his sense of what it is that he was doing here 
on behalf of who he was doing it for never changed in his 30 years. He 
is an individual who, while firm in his principles, was very flexible 
about his opinions. I say, if you spend too much time in Washington you 
become firm in your opinions and it is your principles you are flexible 
on. Ray never forgot where he was from and the people of Peoria that 
sent him here.

[[Page H10813]]

  Now, while he will go on to do many things in his life, his 
leadership, his thoughtfulness, and his character will be missed by 
Members of both sides of the aisle. And I wish him well and I wish him 
congratulations on an outstanding career in public service, but I would 
hope that Ray could find other ways to also contribute to his country. 
He has been a good friend, a good colleague, and somebody, I think I 
can speak for 434 other Members, will be sorely missed from this 
institution.
  Mr. McDERMOTT. Madam Speaker, may I inquire as to the time I have 
left?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman has 3 minutes remaining.
  Mr. McDERMOTT. Madam Speaker, first of all, I want to say it has been 
a pleasure to work with Jerry Weller. On a committee like this where 
you have contentious issues, he has been a great supporter as we have 
worked on child welfare issues and on foster children issues and 
unemployment issues, and it has been a real pleasure. I hope I get a 
ranking member to replace you that is half as good as you were.
  I think that this bill that is out here may be in my view a little 
bit late. I wanted to put an amendment on the bailout bill that 
included the stimulus package, because I really think that we should be 
doing more for people on Main Street.

                              {time}  1415

  I think the people at home are angry in many respects because they 
think we don't understand the pain of what the average citizen in this 
country is feeling, and they feel like we are giving help to some 
people that perhaps don't deserve it or don't need it or whatever, and 
we are ignoring the people who really needed it.
  The acceptance by the leadership of putting this bill up here at the 
end, I am pleased by that. I only hope that the Senate is listening 
because, Madam Speaker, some of those people are going to go home to 
States that we just saw mapped that are red. That means they have more 
than 6 percent unemployed. We have 19 States in this country where 
there is more than 6 percent unemployment.
  For people to go out and run for reelection and say I didn't have 
time to stay and pass an unemployment bill wouldn't seem to me like a 
good campaign strategy. So I hope that this will become legislation 
that passes this House, the other House, and is ultimately signed by 
the President.
  The people who lose their jobs in this country are real people. They 
are people who go to work every day, and one day they come in, like 
those who had a meeting in Seattle yesterday where they told the 4,300 
people who are working at Washington Mutual that they will find out 
whether they have their job on the 1st of December. They are going to 
get their Christmas present by decision of the folks who bought 
Washington Mutual as to whether they are employed or not. No fault of 
theirs. Those are real people for whom this bill is a little bit of 
help to get them over, hopefully, a chasm so that they can reach the 
other side and get another job.
  I urge all of my colleagues to vote for this bill. It is a piece of 
legislation that I am sure the Senate is going to want to deal with.
  Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 6867, 
the Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2008. Today we learned 
that for the ninth straight month the economy has lost jobs--159,000 
jobs in the last month alone. That represents the largest 1-month loss 
of jobs in more than 5 years. Over the last 12 months, more than 2 
million Americans have joined the ranks of the unemployed. The national 
unemployment rate is now at 6.1 percent, and in my home State of 
Illinois it is at 7.3 percent.
  Today's news come at a time when millions of people in Illinois and 
across the country are already struggling to figure out how they can 
pay their bills, feed their families, and keep a roof over their head. 
H.R. 6867 will help ease some of that pain and fear by extending 
unemployment benefits to millions of Americans who have lost their job 
as more businesses are forced to cut shifts and lay people off because 
of rising prices, a decline in business, and the credit crisis.
  H.R. 6867 would provide 7 weeks of extended benefits for workers who 
have exhausted regular unemployment compensation, with workers in high 
unemployment States like Illinois eligible for an additional 13 weeks 
of benefits. Nearly 800,000 workers are projected to exhaust their 
current extended unemployment benefits in October unless Congress acts.
  On the day that we are directing billions of taxpayer dollars to 
stabilize the financial markets, it is incumbent on Congress to provide 
direct relief to those struggling to make ends meet. In addition to 
unemployment insurance, I believe we also need to make investments in 
our highways, bridges, transit systems, and schools; we need increases 
in food stamp benefits; and we need a crucial temporary increase in 
Medicaid payments to States. Studies have shown that those are some of 
the quickest forms of economic stimulus because those benefits and 
investments are spent quickly.
  Again, I urge strong support of the legislation and look forward to 
working with all of my colleagues to support policies that create jobs 
and jump start our economy.
  Mr. BLUMENAUER. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 6867, 
the ``Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2008.'' We have seen 
the United States economy lose jobs every single month of 2008. Today 
we were greeted with the news that 159,000 more American jobs were lost 
in the month of September, the worst job loss in 5 years. In my home 
State of Oregon, the unemployment rate is up over 6 percent, and 
families are hurting.
  Extending unemployment benefits for those who are looking for jobs in 
an increasingly contracting economy is the right thing to do. It is not 
only the moral thing to do, it's a good stimulator for our economy. 
Most families have exhausted their benefits and still need help paying 
their bills and putting food on the table. Moody's Economy.com 
estimates that every dollar of unemployment benefits provides $1.64 in 
economic stimulus by being put directly back into the economy.
  We have just voted to pass an enormous financial rescue package which 
lends a helping hand to the financial services industry. I voted 
against that legislation because it didn't do enough to help consumers 
and taxpayers. Our unemployment rate is at a 5-year high, and claims 
for benefits have just hit a 7-year high. It's time to lend a helping 
hand to the more than 65,000 Oregonians who would benefit from extended 
benefits under this bill. I urge my colleagues to join me in passing 
this important legislation to help get our economy back on its feet.
  Mr. SHAYS. Madam Speaker, I support H.R. 6867, which would provide up 
to 7 additional weeks of Federal extended unemployment benefits to 
workers in all States as well as an additional 13 weeks of Federal 
extended benefits for workers in States, like Connecticut, with 
unemployment rates of 6 percent or higher.
  Connecticut's Fourth Congressional District has been hit particularly 
hard by financial market turmoil. According to PolicyMap.com, 20,655 
Darien residents alone work in the financial, insurance, and real 
estate sectors. In light of Lehman Brothers and AIG bankruptcies, many 
Fairfield County commuters have found themselves unemployed.
  In Westport, 19.4 percent of the town's 26,822 residents work in 
these fields, and 13.2 percent of Stamford's 120,338 residents are also 
employed in the financial sector.
  I support extending unemployment insurance benefits to people who 
have lost their jobs and are having a difficult time finding work. In 
light of a recent economic downturn, turmoil in the housing market and 
rising unemployment it is the responsibility of Congress to assist 
workers and promote economic growth and employment.
  Mr. ELLISON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to strongly support H.R. 
6867, the Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2008.
  This bill provides for an additional 7 weeks of extended Unemployment 
Benefits for workers who have exhausted their regular UI benefits.
  Earlier this year, we enacted a bipartisan compromise to provide 
extended unemployment benefits. But those benefits will start to run 
out in October unless Congress acts.
  With today's news of another 159,000 American jobs lost in 
September--the worst job loss in 5 years--this action is critical to 
providing relief as well as strengthening the American economy and 
creating jobs.
  Madam Speaker, the research is clear, extending UI benefits is one of 
the most cost-effective and fast-acting ways to stimulate the economy 
because the money is spent quickly.
  According to the Congressional Budget Office, every $1 spent on 
unemployment benefits generates $1.64 in new economic demand.
  Madam Speaker, Minnesota's unemployment rate hit 6.2 percent this 
past August, we are waiting for the September State numbers now. This 
is highest state unemployment rate in 22 years.
  This legislation could not be more timely; the House has just passed 
legislation to save Main Street by helping out Wall Street.
  Let us help everybody on Main Street directly by providing needed 
help to the unemployed workers and their families by providing

[[Page H10814]]

them additional unemployment insurance benefits.
  Mr. McDERMOTT. I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Washington (Mr. McDermott) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 6867, as amended.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. McDERMOTT. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 368, 
nays 28, not voting 38, as follows:

                             [Roll No. 683]

                               YEAS--368

     Abercrombie
     Ackerman
     Aderholt
     Akin
     Alexander
     Allen
     Altmire
     Andrews
     Arcuri
     Baca
     Bachus
     Baird
     Baldwin
     Barrow
     Bartlett (MD)
     Barton (TX)
     Bean
     Becerra
     Berkley
     Berman
     Berry
     Biggert
     Bilbray
     Bilirakis
     Bishop (GA)
     Bishop (NY)
     Blackburn
     Blumenauer
     Blunt
     Bonner
     Bono Mack
     Boozman
     Boren
     Boswell
     Boustany
     Boyd (FL)
     Boyda (KS)
     Brady (PA)
     Brady (TX)
     Braley (IA)
     Brown (SC)
     Brown, Corrine
     Brown-Waite, Ginny
     Buchanan
     Burton (IN)
     Butterfield
     Buyer
     Calvert
     Camp (MI)
     Campbell (CA)
     Cantor
     Capito
     Capps
     Capuano
     Cardoza
     Carnahan
     Carney
     Carson
     Castle
     Castor
     Cazayoux
     Chabot
     Chandler
     Childers
     Clarke
     Clay
     Cleaver
     Clyburn
     Coble
     Cohen
     Cole (OK)
     Conyers
     Costa
     Costello
     Courtney
     Cramer
     Crenshaw
     Crowley
     Cuellar
     Cummings
     Davis (AL)
     Davis (CA)
     Davis (IL)
     Davis (KY)
     Davis, Lincoln
     Davis, Tom
     DeFazio
     DeGette
     Delahunt
     DeLauro
     Dent
     Diaz-Balart, L.
     Diaz-Balart, M.
     Dicks
     Dingell
     Doggett
     Donnelly
     Doyle
     Drake
     Dreier
     Edwards (MD)
     Edwards (TX)
     Ehlers
     Ellison
     Ellsworth
     Emanuel
     Emerson
     Engel
     English (PA)
     Etheridge
     Fallin
     Farr
     Fattah
     Filner
     Forbes
     Fortenberry
     Fossella
     Foster
     Frank (MA)
     Frelinghuysen
     Garrett (NJ)
     Gerlach
     Giffords
     Gillibrand
     Gonzalez
     Goode
     Goodlatte
     Gordon
     Granger
     Graves
     Green, Al
     Green, Gene
     Grijalva
     Gutierrez
     Hall (NY)
     Hall (TX)
     Hare
     Harman
     Hastings (WA)
     Hayes
     Heller
     Hensarling
     Herger
     Herseth Sandlin
     Higgins
     Hill
     Hinchey
     Hinojosa
     Hirono
     Hodes
     Hoekstra
     Holden
     Holt
     Honda
     Hooley
     Hoyer
     Hunter
     Inslee
     Israel
     Issa
     Jackson (IL)
     Jackson-Lee (TX)
     Jefferson
     Johnson (GA)
     Johnson (IL)
     Johnson, E. B.
     Jones (NC)
     Kagen
     Kanjorski
     Kaptur
     Keller
     Kennedy
     Kildee
     Kilpatrick
     Kind
     King (NY)
     Kirk
     Klein (FL)
     Kline (MN)
     Knollenberg
     Kucinich
     Kuhl (NY)
     Lampson
     Langevin
     Larsen (WA)
     Larson (CT)
     Latham
     LaTourette
     Latta
     Lee
     Levin
     Lewis (CA)
     Lewis (GA)
     Lipinski
     LoBiondo
     Loebsack
     Lofgren, Zoe
     Lowey
     Lucas
     Lungren, Daniel E.
     Lynch
     Mack
     Mahoney (FL)
     Maloney (NY)
     Manzullo
     Markey
     Marshall
     Matheson
     Matsui
     McCarthy (CA)
     McCarthy (NY)
     McCaul (TX)
     McCollum (MN)
     McCotter
     McDermott
     McGovern
     McHenry
     McHugh
     McIntyre
     McMorris Rodgers
     McNerney
     McNulty
     Meek (FL)
     Meeks (NY)
     Melancon
     Mica
     Michaud
     Miller (MI)
     Miller (NC)
     Miller, George
     Mitchell
     Mollohan
     Moore (KS)
     Moore (WI)
     Moran (KS)
     Murphy (CT)
     Murphy, Patrick
     Murphy, Tim
     Murtha
     Musgrave
     Myrick
     Nadler
     Napolitano
     Neal (MA)
     Oberstar
     Obey
     Olver
     Ortiz
     Pallone
     Pascrell
     Pastor
     Payne
     Pearce
     Pelosi
     Pence
     Perlmutter
     Peterson (MN)
     Peterson (PA)
     Petri
     Pitts
     Platts
     Pomeroy
     Porter
     Price (GA)
     Price (NC)
     Pryce (OH)
     Putnam
     Radanovich
     Rahall
     Ramstad
     Rangel
     Regula
     Rehberg
     Reichert
     Reyes
     Reynolds
     Richardson
     Rodriguez
     Rogers (AL)
     Rogers (KY)
     Rogers (MI)
     Rohrabacher
     Ros-Lehtinen
     Roskam
     Ross
     Rothman
     Roybal-Allard
     Ruppersberger
     Rush
     Ryan (OH)
     Ryan (WI)
     Salazar
     Sanchez, Linda T.
     Sarbanes
     Scalise
     Schakowsky
     Schiff
     Schmidt
     Schwartz
     Scott (GA)
     Scott (VA)
     Sensenbrenner
     Serrano
     Sessions
     Sestak
     Shays
     Shea-Porter
     Sherman
     Shimkus
     Shuler
     Shuster
     Simpson
     Sires
     Skelton
     Smith (NJ)
     Smith (TX)
     Smith (WA)
     Snyder
     Solis
     Souder
     Space
     Spratt
     Stark
     Stearns
     Stupak
     Sullivan
     Sutton
     Tancredo
     Tanner
     Tauscher
     Taylor
     Terry
     Thompson (CA)
     Thompson (MS)
     Tiahrt
     Tiberi
     Tierney
     Towns
     Tsongas
     Turner
     Udall (CO)
     Udall (NM)
     Upton
     Van Hollen
     Velazquez
     Walberg
     Walden (OR)
     Walsh (NY)
     Walz (MN)
     Wasserman Schultz
     Waters
     Watson
     Watt
     Waxman
     Weiner
     Welch (VT)
     Weller
     Wexler
     Whitfield (KY)
     Wilson (NM)
     Wilson (OH)
     Wilson (SC)
     Wittman (VA)
     Wolf
     Woolsey
     Wu
     Yarmuth
     Young (AK)

                                NAYS--28

     Bachmann
     Barrett (SC)
     Broun (GA)
     Burgess
     Cannon
     Carter
     Conaway
     Culberson
     Doolittle
     Duncan
     Flake
     Foxx
     Franks (AZ)
     Gingrey
     Gohmert
     Inglis (SC)
     Jordan
     King (IA)
     Lamborn
     Linder
     Miller (FL)
     Neugebauer
     Nunes
     Paul
     Poe
     Sali
     Shadegg
     Smith (NE)

                             NOT VOTING--38

     Bishop (UT)
     Boehner
     Boucher
     Cooper
     Cubin
     Davis, David
     Deal (GA)
     Eshoo
     Everett
     Feeney
     Ferguson
     Gallegly
     Gilchrest
     Hastings (FL)
     Hobson
     Hulshof
     Johnson, Sam
     Kingston
     LaHood
     Lewis (KY)
     Marchant
     McCrery
     McKeon
     Miller, Gary
     Moran (VA)
     Pickering
     Renzi
     Royce
     Sanchez, Loretta
     Saxton
     Slaughter
     Speier
     Thornberry
     Visclosky
     Wamp
     Weldon (FL)
     Westmoreland
     Young (FL)

                              {time}  1441

  Mr. SNYDER changed his vote from ``nay'' to ``yea.''
  So (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and 
the bill, as amended, was passed.
  The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
  Stated for:
  Ms. SLAUGHTER. Madam Speaker, I was unavoidably detained and missed 
rollcall vote 683. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on 
rollcall 683.
  Mr. COOPER. Madam Speaker, I will be unable to vote this afternoon on 
H.R. 6867, the Unemployment Compensation Extension Act. Had I been in 
attendance, I would have voted ``yea.''

                          ____________________
```