Date: 2010-04-15
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. I rise in support of Senate Amendment to H.R. 4851. the Continuing Extension Act. to extend a range of programs. On March 17. the House passed H.R. 4851. emergency legislation that would extend a range of programs that unfortunately expired. These programs included: unemployment benefits. help with health insurance for the unemployed. COBRA. the highway bill. satellite TV. delay in the cut in Medicare physician payments. flood insurance. and small business loan guarantees. We passed this emergency legislation in the House. but Republican Senator JIM BUNNING singlehandedly blocked passage of this emergency measure. despite the critical needs of millions of families across the United States during this economic downturn. As a result. a 2day shutdown of these programs that jeopardized unemployment benefits for more than 1 million Americans and furloughed thousands of highway and transit workers. This bill compensates Transportation Department employees who were furloughed during the lapse in the Federal highway. highway and motor carrier safety. and public transit programs. Unfortunately. Republican Senator COBURN has now put a hold on H.R. 4786. which passed the House by voice vote last week. to address this problem for transportation workers. The following programs are now being extended: Unemployment Insurance: Extends unemployment benefits. including the increased payouts and longer duration of benefits from the Recovery Act through May 5. Help with Health Insurance for Unemployed Workers. COBRA: Extends eligibility for the COBRA health insurance 65 percent subsidy for people who have lost their jobs through Medicare Physician Payments: Extends current Medicare payment rates for physicians. preventing a 21 percent payment reduction. through April 30. 2010. Flood Insurance: Extends the National Flood Insurance Program authorization through April Satellite Television: Extends the compulsory copyright license used by satellite television providers through April 30. 2010. Compensation for Furloughed Employees: Provides compensation for federal employees furloughed during March 1 and 2 as the result of the lapse in expenditure authority from the Highway Trust Fund. Medicare Therapy Caps Exceptions: Extends exceptions process for beneficiary payment limits on outpatient therapy services through April 30. 2010. Poverty Guidelines: Extends current provision maintaining 2009 poverty guidelines through April 30. 2010. to prevent a lowering of the poverty line due to deflation in 2009. This bill is the right thing to do. We still need to do more to put jobs in the hands of Americans. Unemployment in the HoustonSugar LandBaytown region climbed to 5.4 percent in October. according to a recent report from the Texas Workforce Commission. There were 152.300 people without jobs during the month out of a total civilian labor force of about 2.8 million. compared with 144.200 people. or 5.1 percent. unemployed out of a civilian labor force of 2.8 million in September. according to the TWC. The unemployment rate in October was up from 4 percent a year ago. Getting all Americans back to work is. and should be our number one priority. Mr. Speaker. I am very pleased to join my colleagues in doing the right thing for the American people in these challenging economic times. We owe that to the people whom we are sent here to serve.