Republican Efforts to Cut Unemployment Insurance

Floor Speech

Mr. PETERS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to oppose Republican efforts to slash unemployment benefits.

Earlier this week, House Republicans passed legislation that would cut 40 weeks of unemployment benefits and impose new hurdles for Americans relying on this critical lifeline. With five job seekers in the United States for every available job, the average time it takes an unemployed worker to find a new job is 10 months. Instead of passing the American Jobs Act and getting our Nation's long-term unemployed back to work, Republicans are cutting benefits which millions of Americans rely on for groceries, utilities, and rent.

The Republican plan would hurt workers who are having difficulty in finding new jobs and would pull billions of dollars out of our still-recovering economy. Poverty is at its highest level since 1993; but unemployment benefits kept over 3 million Americans, including 1 million children, out of poverty in 2010; and now Republicans are fighting to gut this necessary lifeline.

During this holiday season, when millions of Americans are worried about being able to pay their rent, I urge my colleagues to oppose slashing unemployment benefits.

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