Continuing Extension Act Of 2010 - Motion To Proceed - Continued

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. DURBIN. I thank the Senator from Vermont and those who are gathered this evening. This was such an important day. Some in this Chamber may have heard some cheering in the hall. I believe that signifies that the House of Representatives has finally passed the reconciliation bill which passed this Chamber earlier this afternoon. Now health care reform, with its improvements, is on its way to being signed by the President and becoming the law of the land. It is a day of great celebration for those of us who had the privilege and honor to vote for it but to participate as well in the difficult task of putting this bill together--a controversial bill; lots of people hate it; lots of people love it across America. Many of us believe it is an extraordinary improvement. It is progress in America. It will give families across America a fighting chance to get health insurance they can afford, to be able to fight the health insurance companies that turn them down when they need it the most.

Thirty million Americans will have health insurance who don't have it today. It is going to give seniors on Medicare better assistance to pay for their prescription drugs. It is a plus in many directions.

We left the euphoria and happiness of that moment on the floor, when they announced the vote of 56 to 43, and within minutes, we were told there is another battle. This time the Republicans have come to the floor and refused to extend unemployment benefits to those unemployed in America. The date that occurs is April 5. In State after State, hundreds and then thousands of people will see their unemployment checks stop. These are people who lost a job and they can't find one. We estimate there are five unemployed people for every available job. I have met with the unemployed in my State. They are desperate. They have tried everything they could think of. We think our economy is starting to turn but not quickly enough for them. Out of work for weeks, months, sometimes years, they have exhausted their savings. They are living literally hand to mouth. Some have lost their health insurance. The only thing that keeps them going, that keeps the lights on and the food on the table, is the unemployment check.

The Republicans came to the floor today and said: Cut it off. They said cut it off, because they believe this is the moment and this is the issue to take a stand against the national deficit.

Do we have a national debt that should concern us all? Of course. The deficit we have is growing because of the recession, unemployment, fewer tax revenues by the government, and we understand that. Should we deal with it? Of course. But it is interesting that these Republicans would take their stand on fiscal conservatism and deficit reduction when it comes to unemployment benefits.

Twenty-four hours ago, Senator Gregg of New Hampshire, a Republican, floor manager for their side, offered an amendment on the floor to the reconciliation bill to pay for the compensation of doctors treating patients under Medicare. It added $65 billion to the deficit, and it was not paid for. Every Republican voted for it. I think it is a good thing to do. It is a policy we should support, because we want doctors to treat Medicare patients. But how can these same Republican Senators ignore the fact that they voted to do so last night and then come here tonight and say: Unemployment benefits for a month in America? That will cost $9 billion. It is time to take a stand against the deficit. Sixty-five billion last night, these same Senators voted to add to the deficit; $9 billion for the unemployed today, they say, is the straw that broke the camel's back.

This is unfair and unfortunate. Here is what we know. Every dollar in an unemployment compensation check that goes to an unemployed person is spent directly into the economy. The CBO says there is no faster and better way to inject billions of dollars into the economy that translates into the purchase of goods and services, helping small businesses and creating jobs. For the question of economic development, unemployment compensation is the most valuable thing to do. What happens to these poor people when we cut off their unemployment compensation? I am not sure where they will go.

Bill from Illinois writes: I have been unemployed as a steel salesman since June of 2009. I am sitting in the Naperville library, as I do every day, applying for jobs on line. And still no luck. I will be ruined financially if you stop my unemployment benefits. Please extend them.

Elliot from Illinois writes: As a citizen of the United States and a U.S. Navy veteran, I cannot believe the Senate would let unemployment funding stop for the millions of people struggling to make ends meet. Just one unemployment check not processing will hurt thousands of people and, with the lack of life-supporting employment, will push a bunch of folks closer to the edge of foreclosure and other losses.

I acknowledge this deficit and this debt and what we need to do about it. This issue is a defining issue for this Congress and this Nation. If we have reached the point that we will turn around and walk away from those who have lost their jobs through no fault of their own, if we will turn a blind eye to families who are doing without the basics of life, if we believe this is the best fiscal policy for America, then we have lost our way. We are a caring nation. We care for one another. We are a community, a community that reaches out, through the taxes we pay and the good deeds that many do, to help the less fortunate. Yet when it comes to unemployment benefits, the Republican Senators have said: This is where we make our stand.

This is where we enforce our deficit.

Well, I think they have taken off and created more victims in our economy at a time when so many have lost their jobs.

I looked at the States represented by the Republican Senators who spoke earlier today. The Senator from Nebraska is fortunate in one respect. His State has an unemployment rate of 4.6 percent. The Senator from Oklahoma, he, too, is fortunate. His State has an unemployment rate of 6.7 percent. My State is up at 12 percent unemployment, and others such as Michigan are over 14 percent unemployment.

This is a crisis in our State, and it is a crisis that will be made worse when these checks are cut off. I would urge my colleagues to view this unemployment benefit request as the emergency that it is. If nations can rise to the occasion of disasters--unanticipated calamities, natural disasters such as floods and hurricanes--if we can view those as emergencies, shouldn't we look at the hurricanes that have hit the lives of those unemployed Americans and be ready to stand by their side?

I hope when we return after the break over Easter and have our chance to vote, we can finally bring forward enough moderate Republicans on that side of the aisle to join us and say: Yes, we need to fight the deficit, but let's not do it at the expense of the neediest people in America.

Madam President, I yield the floor at this time and suggest the absence of a quorum.

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