| Washington, D.C.- Congressman Dale E. Kildee (D-MI) expressed his disappointment today that the U.S. House of Representatives adjourned before considering a Senate bill to extend unemployment benefits until March 2003. The House Republican leadership recently refused to consider extending unemployment benefits to hundreds of thousands of laid-off workers. Regrettably, more than 800,000 jobless Americans will lose their unemployment compensation three days before the New Year because the House Republican leadership failed to make unemployment relief a legislative priority.
“We cannot afford to ignore the financial crisis facing thousands of laid-off American workers,” said Kildee. “While multi-billion dollar corporations have received significant assistance from the federal government, thousands of unemployed American workers have been left behind. It is time to provide immediate assistance and relief to those hard-working Americans that have contributed to the economy of our nation.”
In March 2002, the federal government began an unemployment benefit extension program that provided 13 weeks of temporary emergency unemployment benefits to unemployed individuals. Michigan received an additional 13 weeks of unemployment benefits because it has one of the nation’s highest unemployment rates. Although the Senate recently passed a bill to extend unemployment benefits until March 31, 2003, the House Republican leadership refused to vote on this important legislation before the 107th Congress adjourned for the year. As a result, 33,000 Michigan workers will lose their unemployment benefits three days after Christmas. Sadly, hundreds of thousands of families across the country will have a hard time enjoying the holidays because they are scheduled to lose their unemployment benefits during the middle of the holiday season. |
![[News from Congressman Dale Kildee]](letterhead.gif)