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WASHINGTON, DC
– House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) released the following statement
after the Senate vote on the extension of “emergency” unemployment
insurance.
“Far
too many Americans are still unemployed in President Obama’s economy.
For each of them, it’s a personal crisis that we cannot overlook.
Getting these people back on their feet starts with a strong safety net
– six months of unemployment benefits – that we continue to have in
this country. But the ultimate solution to joblessness is more jobs.
“That’s
why the House has passed bill after bill that, taken together, would
create a better environment for economic growth, investment, and new
hiring in America. Dozens of bills are awaiting action in the Senate
that would provide job skills training for the unemployed, ease
job-destroying burdens on small businesses, promote innovation and
education, create energy and infrastructure jobs, and get rid of the
president’s health care law that is making it harder to hire workers in
this country. To help Americans find new jobs, the president should
call on the Senate to act on them.
“One
month ago I personally told the White House that another extension of
temporary emergency unemployment benefits should not only be paid for
but include something to help put people back to work. To date, the
president has offered no such plan. If he does, I’ll be happy to
discuss it, but right now the House is going to remain focused on
growing the economy and giving America’s unemployed the independence
that only comes from finding a good job.”
NOTE: The
recently-expired “Emergency Unemployment Compensation” program is put
in place only in the worst economic conditions and is designed to be
temporary. According to the House Ways and Means Committee, the recent
program, which went into place as we entered a recession in 2008, was in
place longer (66 months), was extended more times (12), aided more
people (24 million), cost more ($265 billion), and added more to the
debt ($210 billion) than any previous program. The expiration of this
temporary program does not take away the vital safety net that provides
all eligible unemployed workers 26 weeks of benefits. The unemployment
rate is lower today than it was when emergency benefits were allowed
to expire following the recession of the early 1980s.
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