Commerce, Justice, Science, And Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010--Continued
Floor Speech
COMMERCE, JUSTICE, SCIENCE, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2010--Continued -- (Senate - October 08, 2009)
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Mr. REED. Madam President, I commend Leader Reid and Chairman Baucus for the work they have done to get this bill to the floor. I also commend Senator Shaheen for her valuable contribution to moving this forward.
I am disappointed, to say the least, that we cannot move this legislation quickly. There are millions of Americans who are looking at the prospect of losing their unemployment compensation, others who have already lost it and, frankly, millions who may be working but, sadly, may qualify shortly for unemployment compensation.
As my colleagues have pointed out, there are six job seekers for every job. This unemployment crisis will continue, and the least we can do is to provide people with some support while they look for jobs and try to maintain their families.
One point I wish to make--which should be very clear--is that this legislation is fully paid for. This is not something that requires a CBO score in order to determine how it is used and what the cost will be and how it will be paid for. It is paid for by a continued extension of the FUTA surtax for a year and a half--through 2010 and the first six months of 2011. So this is responsible legislation as well as critically important legislation.
Again, as my colleagues indicated, this legislation will provide an additional 14 weeks of unemployment insurance benefits throughout the country. But as we have done on numerous past occurrences, it will recognize that even though there is pain everywhere, the pain is not distributed equally. There are States, such as my home State, where the unemployment rate is extraordinarily high. It is a critical need in Rhode Island where the unemployment rate is nearly 13 percent. So for those States, there will be an additional 6 weeks, for a total of 20 weeks, for all States with an unemployment rate of 8.5 percent or above.
This has to be done quickly, because as we speak there are 5.4 million Americans who have been unemployed for 6 months or more. There are signs that the economy may be recovering--credit markets, equity markets--but the unemployment markets still remain, unfortunately, in a deep decline. We are trying all we can do to reverse that, but in the interim we have to be able to give people a chance to simply get by, and that is what this does.
We are poised to pass this, and this unnecessary delay is not only inappropriate but inexcusable. This is something that affects every State in the country and it affects people who have worked hard all their working lives and now face unemployment, many for the first time. The psychological shock is great. Add to that the financial reality that they can't pay their bills, they can't pay the mortgage, and that adds another problem which I think cries out for immediate action, not waiting for a score from CBO, not waiting to see if there is something ancillary to this that could be attached. This is a time and a moment to meet the needs of the American public, to do so responsibly--and we have because it is fully offset--and not to delay. I urge the speedy passage of this critical legislation. I hope Leader Reid will be prepared to make a UC the next time we are convened and that at that time this measure can be passed unanimously.
Madam President, I yield the floor, and I suggest the absence of a quorum.
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