"America\'s workers are hurting, and Congress must take immediate action," the AFL-CIO said in an e-mail alert to union members Tuesday. The labor federation is asking members to phone U.S. Senator Norm Coleman, R-Minn., to support the domestic spending amendment to H.R. 2642. The call is toll free: 1-866-338-5720.
The proposed amendment to H.R. 2642 would provide up to 13 weeks of extended unemployment benefits for workers exhausting the 26 weeks of regular unemployment benefits. In states with higher levels of joblessness, an additional 13 weeks would be available, for a total of 26 weeks of extended benefits.
More than 200,000 workers are exhausting their state unemployment benefits every month and an estimated 3.5 million workers will exhaust their state benefits over the next year. In Minnesota, nearly 70,000 workers slated to run out of benefits would be helped by the extension, according to the National Employment Law Project.
The long-term unemployment rate is already much higher than it was at the beginning of the 2001 and 1990-1991 recessions, and it is the same as when Congress extended benefits during the past two recessions, the AFL-CIO said.
In addition to helping workers who need help the most, economists agree that extending unemployment benefits is a proven way to stimulate the economy. Unemployed workers are likely to spend these benefits quickly to make ends meet, which quickly pumps money into the economy.
Mark Zandi of Economy.com has said: "If someone who is literally living paycheck to paycheck gets an extra dollar, it\'s very likely that they will spend that dollar immediately on whatever they need – groceries, to pay the telephone bill, to pay the electric bill."
Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives approved the extension of unemployment benefits with bipartisan support. But two Republicans from Minnesota – 2nd District Congressman John Kline and 6th District Congresswoman Michele Bachmann – voted against the extension.
Jeremy Funk, spokesman for the advocacy group Americans United for Change, said Bachmann and Kline are out of step with the values of most Minnesotans.
"Representatives Bachmann and Kline think that more Bush tax cuts for millionaires is the only prescription for the ailing economy – tax cuts that never manage to \'trickle-down\' to the people who really need it," Funk said.
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"America\’s workers are hurting, and Congress must take immediate action," the AFL-CIO said in an e-mail alert to union members Tuesday. The labor federation is asking members to phone U.S. Senator Norm Coleman, R-Minn., to support the domestic spending amendment to H.R. 2642. The call is toll free: 1-866-338-5720.
The proposed amendment to H.R. 2642 would provide up to 13 weeks of extended unemployment benefits for workers exhausting the 26 weeks of regular unemployment benefits. In states with higher levels of joblessness, an additional 13 weeks would be available, for a total of 26 weeks of extended benefits.
More than 200,000 workers are exhausting their state unemployment benefits every month and an estimated 3.5 million workers will exhaust their state benefits over the next year. In Minnesota, nearly 70,000 workers slated to run out of benefits would be helped by the extension, according to the National Employment Law Project.
The long-term unemployment rate is already much higher than it was at the beginning of the 2001 and 1990-1991 recessions, and it is the same as when Congress extended benefits during the past two recessions, the AFL-CIO said.
In addition to helping workers who need help the most, economists agree that extending unemployment benefits is a proven way to stimulate the economy. Unemployed workers are likely to spend these benefits quickly to make ends meet, which quickly pumps money into the economy.
Mark Zandi of Economy.com has said: "If someone who is literally living paycheck to paycheck gets an extra dollar, it\’s very likely that they will spend that dollar immediately on whatever they need – groceries, to pay the telephone bill, to pay the electric bill."
Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives approved the extension of unemployment benefits with bipartisan support. But two Republicans from Minnesota – 2nd District Congressman John Kline and 6th District Congresswoman Michele Bachmann – voted against the extension.
Jeremy Funk, spokesman for the advocacy group Americans United for Change, said Bachmann and Kline are out of step with the values of most Minnesotans.
"Representatives Bachmann and Kline think that more Bush tax cuts for millionaires is the only prescription for the ailing economy – tax cuts that never manage to \’trickle-down\’ to the people who really need it," Funk said.