Political Quotes

“I come to the floor today to talk about another rule the Republicans want to overturn instead of working with Democrats to create jobs. This rule outlines when State unemployment agencies can drug test applicants for unemployment benefits. Today there are roughly 7.6 million Americans who are unemployed, and over 2 million of these unemployed Americans are collecting unemployment insurance. About 150,000 of these people live in Illinois. Unemployment insurance benefits provide a lifeline to many workers and families who are struggling to make ends meet. If this resolution passes, my Republican colleagues will succeed in preventing hard- working Americans from receiving these benefits, and they will succeed in making it more difficult for unemployed Americans to find work. This past August, the Department of Labor finalized a rule that explains when State unemployment agencies can subject unemployment benefit applicants to a drug test. The rule clarifies which occupations regularly conduct drug testing, as established by the Department of Labor, to help State programs that conduct drug testing. This rule makes sure States have the guidance they need to implement drug testing requirements in a fair and legal mariner, but if this partisan CRA is signed into law, it will undo a bipartisan compromise that was created to ensure equitable access to unemployment benefits.…”