Date: 2010-07-22
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. it is simply the morally right thing to do. And as I listen to the bantering and the chattering and the constant obstructionist policies of my friends. Republicans in this body and the other body. Im amazed that there is no moral compass to say that millions of Americans. those who have worked. are simply asking that they be able to survive. This is not a handout. This is a trust. a contract. that when you work you invest in unemployment insurance to a certain extent. first given by the States. and now. because the States have run out of money. our federal government. their government is extending those dollars. And we know that its the right thing to do because those people on the other side of the aisle have allowed this obstructionism to go forward. but they couldnt fight it anymore. They couldnt fight 62 percent of the American public who said this is the right thing to do. They couldnt fight the Congressional Budget Office who said this is the most costeffective and fastacting infusion of dollars to help people pay their mortgage and food and car payments and to stay off the streets. and to improve the economy. And further. Mr. Speaker. Chairman Bernanke said. Its no time for the deficit hawks to raise their heads. Continuing to stimulate the economy is the right approach. What we. as Democrats. are doing. infusing dollars into the economy. is the best approach to get the economy to grow. Corporate revenues grew in the last quarter. but corporations are hoarding their money. for now. I believe we will see more job creation soon. We are creating jobs and therefore we must continue to stimulate this economy by these unemployed individuals having resources to buy into the economy and to make a difference. I thank the gentleman very much for yielding and allowing me to say that all of the economists point to the fact that were doing the right thing. I ask the Republicans to join us today and stand as Americans and do what is right for America. Mr. Speaker. I rise in support of H.R. 4213. "The American Jobs and Closing Tax Loopholes Act of 2010". I am primarily concerned with the unemployment provision in this piece of legislation. If passed. this bill will restore unemployment aid to 2.5 million Americans who have lost their benefits and are still seeking work in this emerging economy. It will give hope to the longterm unemployed and allow them a chance to survive by extending their benefits to November 30th. 2010. Mr. Speaker. if there is a single federal program that is absolutely critical to people in communities all across this nation at this time. it would be unemployment compensation benefits. Unemployed Americans must have a means to subsist. while continuing to look for work that in many parts of the country is just not there. Families have to feed children. Unemployed workers. many of whom rely on public transportation. need to be able to get to potential employers places of work. Utility payments must be paid. Most people use their unemployment benefits to pay for the basics. No one is getting rich from unemployment benefits. because the weekly benefit checks are solely providing for basic food. medicine. gasoline and other necessary things many individuals with no other means of income are not able to afford. Personal and family savings have been exhausted and 401 (Ks) have been tapped. leaving many individuals and families desperate for some type of assistance until the economy improves and additional jobs are created. The extension of unemployment benefits for the longterm unemployed is an emergency. You do not play with peoples lives when there is an emergency. We are in a crisis. Just ask someone who has been unemployed and looking for work. and they will tell you the same. With a national unemployment rate of 9.5 percent. preventing and prolonging people from receiving unemployment benefits is a national tragedy. In the city of Houston. the unemployment rate stands at 8.3 percent as almost 250.000 individuals remain unemployed. Indeed. I can not tell you how difficult it has been to explain to my constituents who are unemployed that there will be no further extension of unemployment benefits until the Congress acts. Whether the justification for inaction is the size of the debt or the need for deficit reduction. it is clear that it is more prudent to act immediately to give individuals and families looking for work a means to survive. H.R. 4213 is just the right measure at the right time. The legislation will send a message to the nations unemployed. that this Congress is dedicated to helping those trying to help themselves. Until the economy begins to create more jobs at a much faster pace. and the various stimulus programs continue to accelerate project activity in local communities. we cannot sit idly and ignore the unemployed. As such. I urge my colleagues to support H.R.