On the recordJanuary 7, 2014
10 days ago, 1.3 million Americans lost their emergency extension of unemployment benefits. Today, this afternoon at the White House, one of those individuals, Ms. Katherine Hackett from Moosup, Connecticut, shared her story with our country. She has two sons serving in the military. She was laid off through no fault of her own. She has been actively seeking employment, and yet she still needs help. Yet this House left before Christmas without taking up an unemployment extension, which in every past recession, any unemployment rate above 5 percent required and resulted in automatic extensions. Yet this House went home. Curt Edwards, from Norwich, Connecticut, who I spoke to yesterday, 20 years in the U.S. Army, Army Ranger, was laid off last April and is looking for work. His unemployment was cut off on December 28. The majority leader issued his agenda for the month of January. There was not a word in that agenda about extending unemployment for 1.3 million Americans. Every economist tells us that's a mistake. These individuals need help. It is time for this House to focus on the immediate needs of the American people and extend unemployment insurance for 1.3 million Americans. ____________________
