Extension of Unemployment Benefits

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Ms. KAPTUR. I want to thank Congresswoman Fudge for taking leadership on this very, very important Special Order this evening on the subject of unemployment and the extension of unemployment benefits during this critical moment for our country.

I just got back to Washington after spending the weekend in my district, and I'm telling you that is the issue. People come up to you, whether you are in a parking lot, just leaving a food store, whether you're in a religious institution on Sunday, people are asking what's wrong with Congress. It isn't the House. It's the other body that hasn't passed the extension of unemployment benefits.

I want to commend the Congressional Black Caucus for bringing this forward this evening.

By the end of this week, nearly 2.5 million Americans will have lost their unemployment benefits because our colleagues over on the other side of the Capitol chose to politicize with unemployed workers, trying to make some kind of political statement over there, rather than extending benefits for people who earn them.

You would think that work, as a value, would be undergirded by those that serve us at this level in our country, and I think they really undermine the value of work itself by not allowing people who have earned those benefits as a result of going to work every day to then, when times get hard, reap some of the benefits that they, in fact, have earned.

Just in Ohio, Congresswoman Fudge and I know that 112,000 Ohioans will lose their unemployment benefits as we wait for the Senate to act. On July 12, the Toledo Blade ran the following letter to the editor, which I will summarize. It says, ``Cutting off jobless was act of cruelty,'' and this writer, Darlene, from Perrysburg, Ohio, states: ``I do not want to add to the Federal deficit. However, not to extend unemployment benefits to workers who have lost their jobs, most through no fault of their own, is cruel.'' She's right.

``These former workers may lose their homes,'' she says, ``adding to the foreclosure dilemma.'' She's right.

``They paid taxes into the system for years.'' She's right.

``Now the government says they have used up their benefits. I wonder when the government will tell third-and fourth-generation welfare recipients that they have used up their benefits.'' And she was rather strident in her comments there, but she's asking what about people who have been employed.

Worse, a week before that, the Toledo Blade ran an

article titled, ``Toledoans battle to survive as aid for unemployed vanishes: Area agencies get more requests for help.'' I know I met with the head of Job and Family Services in Lucas County, and they said that immediately they expect an influx of 3,000 individuals that represented 3,000 families. You know how many people--that's over 10,000 people just for the first influx of those who had fallen off their benefits.

The article talked about Anita Fitch, a 42-year-old single mother who had gotten two extensions on her unemployment benefits but now she's on her own. Anita stated, ``The unemployment money was not paying the bills, and I went to get food stamps because I have two kids in the house and everything is backing up--the food bill, the electric--and now I am trying to find a job,'' but ``there just aren't any jobs out there.''

So Anita's problem is like that of many Americans. We need to stop being partisan over there in the Senate and work together to support those who have lost their jobs while joining together to create jobs and stabilize our housing market.

I wanted to say to Congresswoman Fudge that I have other examples I could give, but I don't want to not allow other Members who have come this evening to also state their piece. We know that we need to make things in America again, and Ms. Fitch was among those in our district who had a well-paying factory job, polishing automotive parts, a solid job that provided for her family, the kind of jobs that we need here in our country. We need less outsourcing. We need fewer bank bailouts--in fact, no bank bailouts--while we work to create jobs and to sustain our unemployed citizens.

So I have voted to continue to extend unemployment benefits, and I think the important voices that we will add to the record tonight include those individuals from our district who have been contacting us, pleading with Congress to give them the benefits that they have earned, and if we had enough jobs in our country, people wouldn't be asking. This is a time when we need a little extra cushion inside this economy to help people transition as we begin producing more and more jobs per month, and we had to dig ourselves out of the huge hole that the last President left this President.

I think that we helped to turn the corner now, but we have millions of Americans who simply have not been able to find their footing in this economy.

One gentleman that wrote has sent out 400 resumes and applied for over 400 jobs in 10 States and has only gotten three interviews in 9 months and zero job offers, and he says it's aggravating that the people who caused this mess are still making several-figure incomes, and the average Joe is suffering. Who knows what is going to happen after August when this gentleman's unemployment benefits run out.

So, Congresswoman Fudge, I want to thank you very much for holding this Special Order tonight to encourage our Senate colleagues to put partisanship and politics aside and to act to help those who need these unemployment benefits to put food on the table for their families. They're really not asking for very much.

``Sincerely,''

``Jennifer''

Jennifer is not alone. Debra also emailed me and she writes, ``Dear Representative Kaptur,''

``Our family is in dire need of an extension of unemployment benefits. My partner has been unemployed since July 15, 2008. Her unemployment expired June 25, 2010 without notice.''

``She is over 60 years of age. We have 3 children, 2 elementary age and one high school age. I am self employed and my business is so slow that my adjusted gross income last year was $15,500 and it looks like my AGI will be similar for 2010. We've applied for food stamps but we're not sure how long it will take to get them. We need help.''

``What can you do for us?''

``Debra''

Dennis emailed to share his situation and his frustration. He writes, ``Just wanted to let you know what it's like in the real world. In September '09, I was laid-off. I went from $32/hr to $9/hr unemployment benefit. My u/b extension is due to run out in August '10. I have sold items at a loss to get rid of debt. My life is on hold.''

``I have applied to almost 400 jobs in over 10 states and have only gotten 3 interviews in 9 months with zero job offers. It's aggravating that the people who caused this mess are still making 6/7 figure incomes and the average Joe is suffering. Who knows what is going to happen after August.''

Tonight we gather to encourage our Senate colleagues to put partisanship and politics aside and act to help those who need these unemployment benefits to put food on the table for their families.

Sometimes it is too easy to get caught up in politics, and we need to remember that we are here for the people. Too many of the people in this country are suffering. They need our support to survive while we work to create jobs in our country for them.

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