Letter to Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House and Steny Hoyer, House Majority Leader - Reps. Peters, Beyer, Kilmer Lead 114 Members Urging House Leadership to Schedule Vote to Reinstate Expanded Unemployment Insurance and Tie Duration of Benefits to Economy

Letter

Dear Speaker Pelosi and Leader Hoyer:
Thank you for taking decisive steps to save the U.S. Postal Service by scheduling a vote on
legislation this weekend. The Postal Service provides an essential service to every American and
is a lifeline to many, including our seniors and our veterans. While rescuing the Postal Service is
crucial, it is equally important that we provide a lifeline to the 30 million Americans who are
relying on unemployment insurance. Therefore, we ask, as members return to Washington to
address the crisis at the USPS, that the House consider legislation like the Worker Relief and
Security Act (Beyer/Kilmer).
The Worker Relief and Security Act would extend unemployment benefits to those who need it
and ensure benefits last for the duration of the recession by tying continued enhanced
unemployment insurance to the health crisis and economic indicators. It has been 19 days since
the weekly $600 enhanced unemployment benefits expired, leaving 30 million Americans in a
lurch. We owe it to people waiting to get back to work across the country not only to extend
unemployment benefits to help them pay their bills, but to tie these benefits to economic
conditions so workers are not held hostage by another cliff like this one.
Nearly 30 million Americans, or one in five workers, are currently relying on unemployment
benefits to keep a roof over their head, put food on the table, and keep their kids healthy. The
enhanced unemployment compensation of $600 per week provided families support to meet their
needs, replaced lost earnings, stabilized household spending, and in turn, stimulated the broader
economy.
Since the $600 supplement has expired, countless constituents have reached out to our offices,
expressing heartbreaking stories, in which they must choose between paying for groceries or
their car payment. Some can make it through the next few months but are worried about what
will happen once savings run out. Our economic footing is fragile, and this assistance has been
paramount in preventing an even worse economic collapse.
As you know, during the last recession, Congress extended emergency unemployment benefits
13 times. This time, we seem headed for an even more perilous path as Republicans have already
blown past the deadline to extend the enhanced unemployment compensation with reckless
abandon, satisfied by the President's woefully inadequate Executive Order.
The Worker Relief and Security Act would automatically continue, expand, and adjust enhanced
unemployment insurance programs based on public health and economic triggers through the
duration of the crisis without the need for further congressional action. Specifically, the bill
would extend the $600 weekly federal pandemic unemployment compensation (FPUC) for the
duration of the national COVID-19 health emergency, and then continue and adjust the weekly
federal unemployment compensation amount and number of available unemployment benefit
weeks dependent on the state total unemployment rate.
As Democrats, we know how important it is to get aid to the people who need it most. While
there are various proposals to extend unemployment benefits, the only way to provide financial
relief to millions of Americans without being subject to political hurdles, is to enact automatic
stabilizers for unemployment benefits. By passing legislation that ties unemployment benefits to
economic triggers, we can ensure that aid is restored to those who need it and prevent future
lapses as long as the economy tells us aid is needed.
We appreciate your diligence and steadfast commitment to American workers and hope you will
move forward this legislation for consideration.

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