| For immediate release September 22, 2009 |
Contact: Erin Donar
202-225-3611
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| Kildee Fights to Extend Unemployment Benefits for Michigan Workers | ||||
| Legislation will benefit nearly 90,000 unemployed workers throughout the state | ||||
| WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Dale E. Kildee (D-MI) voted to extend unemployment benefits for workers across America, benefiting approximately 88,287 workers in Michigan whose benefits are scheduled to expire by the end of the year. H.R. 3548, the Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2009, which Congressman Kildee introduced along with his colleagues, will amend the current Emergency Unemployment Compensation program to provide up to another 13 weeks of extended unemployment benefits in high unemployment states, including Michigan. This legislation passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 331 to 83. The Senate is expected to pass this legislation shortly, after which it will be signed into law by the President. “The current economic downturn has hit our manufacturing communities hard, causing too many hardworking Americans to lose their jobs through no fault of their own. Michigan has been particularly affected, and now leads the nation with a 15.2 percent unemployment rate. Families in my hometown of Flint have been hit even harder and are suffering from a 28.9 percent unemployment rate. These families need our support as we continue working to revitalize our economy and create new jobs in our communities,” said Congressman Kildee. “This unemployment benefits extension will be extremely helpful for workers who are struggling under this difficult economic climate and I am proud to have joined my colleagues to introduce this legislation.” Background information • H.R. 3548 will provide up to 13 additional weeks of unemployment benefits to workers in high unemployment states who are about to run out of benefits. • This will help at least 300,000 workers in 27 states and DC and Puerto Rico who will exhaust all of their unemployment benefits by the end of September and over 1 million people in these states who will run out of benefits by the end of December. In Michigan, it will help approximately 25,534 workers who will exhaust their unemployment benefits by the end of September and 62,753 workers whose benefits will run out by the end of December. • The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office has cited unemployment benefits as one of the most cost-effective forms of economic stimulus Every $1 spent on unemployment benefits generates $1.63 in new economic demand. [Mark Zandi, chief economist of Moody’s Economy.com] • The extension is fully paid for, and strengthens reporting requirements to reduce unemployment insurance overpayments. |
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