Political Quotes

“Today we're here to talk about the need to extend unemployment insurance. The numbers are staggering. If we do not act by the end of this month, in January well over a million people will lose their unemployment insurance, by mid-February the total will be well over 2 million, and by the end of next year, if we do not act, over 6 million people. As I said, these numbers are staggering. But the people behind these numbers are overwhelming. We're here today to talk about the numbers and also talk about the people who are involved. When we've had emergencies like this, we have never failed to act. Today, we face an emergency beyond any we've seen since the Great Depression, and it's absolutely vital as a result that we act. I'm joined by some of my colleagues. I want to call on them. As I do so, I want to read stories. I'll start by reading just one story and then call on one or more of my colleagues. Let me start by reading what came in from a person in Amherst, New Hampshire, Jackie: ``Unemployment benefits helped me make ends meet while I was using my savings and 401(k) to keep up with everything. Now they are gone. My savings are long gone. My 401(k) is almost gone. I'm watching everything I worked so hard for my entire adult life slip away from me. I am 50. I will never recover from this.'' I would now like to yield to the gentleman from Texas, if he would like to join me.”