Political Quotes

“Thank you, Mr. Rangel, for your kind words, and congratulations to the bipartisan leadership that has worked this out. Yesterday in this very place, the President said: ``Our economy is undergoing a period of uncertainty.'' For millions of people in this country, our economic difficulties are very, very certain indeed, and that is true of the over 7 million who are unemployed. Economists agree that unemployment insurance is one of the most stimulative approaches that can be undertaken. Unemployment is rising significantly. In December, the total number of unemployed was 900,000 higher than the same month in the prior year, and long-term unemployment is now twice as high as it was in the last recession. Almost a fifth of those who are unemployed have been unemployed over 26 weeks, and in Michigan, 72,000 people will exhaust their jobless benefits in the first half of this year. In the past, the extensions of unemployment compensation have come too late. The time for action on extension is here and now.”