Chris Dodd: “I don't recall another time when we had a downturn in the economy, where we had as many as 2 million jobs lost in the…”

“I don't recall another time when we had a downturn in the economy, where we had as many as 2 million jobs lost in the last 27 months, where 80,000 workers a week are losing their benefits. I don't recall under any administration--I have served here under Republican administrations and Democratic administrations, and I have served when this Chamber was controlled by Democrats and also under Republicans, and in the House also with both Democrats and Republicans; I know of no other time in the more than two decades I have been here where in a moment like this we would not provide an extension of unemployment benefits. It is truly shocking to see a piece of legislation designed to offer relief to people, allegedly, through the tax cuts the President is suggesting, with no assistance to the unemployed. We literally have thousands of people who are facing difficult times, whose ability to take care of their families, and to make ends meet have been hindered.”