GOP Votes to End Extended Unemployment As Out-of-Work Americans Face 1 Job Opening for Every 4 Seekers
As Ways and Means Ranking Member Sander Levin (D-MI) explains, "Republicans act like the problem is the unemployed. No. The basic problem is the lack of jobs.":
Calling this a jobs bill is a cruel hoax for the millions of Americans who would see their unemployment benefits disappear under the legislation, while seeing no new job opportunities.This legislation would end the guarantee of federal unemployment insurance for 4 million Americans—just like Republicans want to end the guarantee of Medicare.
Republicans act like the problem is the unemployed. No. The basic problem is the lack of jobs.
Nearly nine million jobs were lost under during this Recession.
We have gained almost 2 million private sector jobs over the last 14 months of the Obama administration, but it is not yet enough to compensate for the damage done.
Consider Chart One:
13.7 unemployed workers -- but only 3.1 million job vacancies.
4.4 workers for every job opening.
Unemployment Insurance is a lifeline for the unemployed and their families as they seek work during this difficult economy.
And, for those who think it is a life of luxury, consider Chart 2:
The average weekly wage is $784 for all American workers.
The poverty level for a family of four is $429 a week.
The average unemployment benefit is $300 a week.
These benefits are certainly not enough to keep people from taking a job. The Republican plan takes $31 Billion from unemployed workers and throws it to the States.
Allowing them – as Chart 3 illustrates – to cut taxes on businesses, re-pay their loans to the federal government, or fill in other state budget cuts.
Just last December, every Republican Member of this Committee who was in the Congress except one voted to extend the tax cuts on the very wealthiest and to extend federal emergency unemployment insurance for one year. We are not even half way into the year and you are already reneging on that vote.
Leader Pelosi:
The Republican majority is ignoring Americans' top priority – creating jobs – but are voting to end Medicare as we know it and supporting bills that weaken the middle class. In fact, today's bill could destroy as many as 300,000 jobs over the next year and undermine our economy.While protecting tax breaks for Big Oil and millionaires, Republicans are threatening to cut off a lifeline to millions of middle class Americans who lost their jobs through no fault of their own. For our economy, every dollar invested in unemployment insurance yields a return of $1.60 in economic growth.
Republicans must abandon their assault on seniors and America's families, and join Democrats to create jobs, responsibly reduce the deficit, strengthen the middle class, and grow the economy.
Education and Workforce Ranking Member George Miller (D-CA):
House Republicans' proposal to jeopardize federal unemployment insurance benefits is yet another cruel attack on vulnerable Americans. After voting to end Medicare and gutting Head Start, Republicans' next line of attack against working families seems to be to blame the economic downturn squarely on the jobless themselves.Extended unemployment insurance benefits are a lifeline for unemployed workers and their families. These benefits keep roofs over their heads and put food on their tables while they look for a new job. And these benefits go directly into the economy, supporting additional jobs. Until businesses – many that are once again making record profits – start hiring at a quicker pace, this proposal will do nothing but inflict greater pain on those who can least afford it.