McConnell proposed extending unemployment benefits using stimulus money
Most recently, in June 2008, Congress created the Emergency Unemployment Compensation (program so workers who had exhausted state unemployment benefits could receive up to 34 weeks of additional benefits and workers in states with high unemployment rates qualified for or up to 53 weeks of additional aid. Texas’ unemployment rate stayed steady from April at 8.3 percent, while North Dakota had the lowest rate 3.6 percent.
Congress and the sitting administration have approved unemployment benefit extensions in every recession since the late 1950s, Burtless said.
The Senate majority leader, Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nevada, said on the Senate floor June 30, “We, as a Congress Democrats and Republicans have always extended unemployment benefits because it is an emergency. Case in point was that in February 2009, President Barack Obama signed the stimulus act, which extended through 2009 emergency unemployment insurance.
Congress subsequently extended benefits in November, December, and March and most recently in April, with an $18 billion bill extending benefits until June 2. From June 18 through June 30, Senate Democrats failed to secure enough votes to extend unemployment benefits while increasing the deficit. Republicans said they would support extending benefits if they were paid for up front. Summing all up from late, congressional efforts to extend unemployment insurance benefits have failed including McConnell's proposal to finance an extension by paying for it with stimulus funding.
I believe that an extra 34 weeks of unemployment aid would be an excellent benefit. If I were to unemployed and looking for a job, 34 weeks can take me a long way and support me while I find a job and for the states that offer up to 53 weeks if additional aid, that is even a better benefit. For further information about this argument visit PolitiFact.com or statesman.com
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