The President Must Sign Unemployment Benefits Extension (Rep. Hilda Solis)
June 18th, 2008

In these increasingly hard economic times, America’s working families are struggling under the stubborn refusal of the GOP to extend a helping hand. The House of Representatives passed an extension of unemployment benefits to provide relief for workers that have lost their jobs and are struggling in today’s sagging economy last week, yet 137 House Republicans voted against this extension and President Bush has threatened a veto. President Bush needs to sign this important unemployment benefit extension into law and support America’s working families as they struggle to make ends meet with rising food and energy costs.

In May, the national unemployment rate jumped from 5 percent to 5.5 percent, the biggest one-month increase in over 20 years. Working families need our help now, similar to the unemployment benefits extension that President Bush signed into law in 2002. The extension of unemployment benefits would target those workers who have exhausted the 26 weeks of regular benefits and are still looking for work is much needed and overdue. Extending unemployment benefits is not only the right thing to do for workers impacted by President Bush’s failed economic policies, but is also a cost-effective and fast-acting economic stimulus. Every $1 spent generates $1.73 in new economic demand.