Ellison Statement On His Vote Against The GOP's Payroll Tax Cut Extension Bill

Statement

"Tonight, House Republicans in Congress voted to cut off unemployment benefits for American families. At a time when jobs are hard to find the GOP submitted some of the most cynical legislation they could. They even call it the "Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act.'

"Well, its benign title hides a dangerous underbelly. This bill cuts unemployment benefits from 99 weeks to 33 weeks total. As a result, almost 1 million people would lose their unemployment benefits after the New Year. Overall, 3.3 million Americans, including over 43,000 Minnesotans, will lose this basic lifeline.

"The bill increases healthcare costs for millions of Americans. Seniors would be asked to pay over $30 billion more in health care over the next ten years, and families would lose their insurance because of language that blocks part of the popular Affordable Care Act.

"Worse, Republicans used this bill to pass controversial measures to boost Big Oil profits while putting our water at risk. The Keystone pipeline, which the Obama Administration already determined warrants investigation, would threaten the drinking water of 2 million Americans. The bill prevents individuals from getting unemployment insurance unless they have a high school diploma or a G.E.D. and says states can require recipients to submit to drug testing.

"Instead of good-faith negotiations to extend unemployment benefits, the GOP is putting up roadblocks to legislation that would help the middle class in more than name only. It's no wonder Congress's approval rating sits at 9 percent."

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