Nancy L. Johnson: “it is imperative that this House acts and, hopefully, the Senate follows as well, to make this recession short and…”

“it is imperative that this House acts and, hopefully, the Senate follows as well, to make this recession short and shallow, as the gentlewoman from New Mexico said, but also to help the unemployed. What is really excellent about this new stimulus bill is that for the first time, it provides assistance in purchasing health insurance for the unemployed. America has never done that before. This is a first. Only this bill offers the same assistance to everyone. If one works for an employer who provided what is called COBRA benefits, one can use their 50 percent benefit, or their 60 percent benefit now, for COBRA benefits. But most people work for small employers and small employers are not covered by COBRA, so if one works for a small employer and is laid off, the old bill and the bill of the other party will not help them. This will give them a 60 percent premium subsidy, whether they buy their own health insurance, whether their employee is COBRA-covered or not. Everyone will be treated the same. All unemployed will get help, with health insurance benefits as well as extended unemployment benefits.”