Mike Levin: “Mr. Speaker, what makes America work is America's workers. Today, America is going to work harder to protect its…”

“Mr. Speaker, what makes America work is America's workers. Today, America is going to work harder to protect its workers. We currently have a program that was put together in the middle of the night in 2002 in the midst of the fast track legislation, and it was never intended to work. This bill provides protection for almost double the number of workers covered by that program. This measure before us also improves a more basic protection for all jobless workers, unemployment insurance. Only one-third of America's unemployed now receive unemployment benefits, and coverage rates for low-wage and part-time workers are considerably lower. This bill provides up to $7 billion to States implementing specific policies designed to eliminate unnecessary barriers. We ask States to count a worker's most recent wages when determining their eligibility. We ask States to end discrimination against part-time workers. And we ask them not to disqualify workers who must leave work for compelling family reasons like domestic violence or taking care of a sick child or following a spouse whose job has moved. These are State options. We are not requiring them to do anything. If they don't want it, they don't have to have the money.”