Janice Schakowsky: “In the United States, we have always had a bipartisan tradition of assisting fellow hardworking Americans who have…”

“In the United States, we have always had a bipartisan tradition of assisting fellow hardworking Americans who have fallen on hard times--until now. As they are looking for their next job, we used to make sure that they had assistance through unemployment insurance to cover their basic needs. That is why yesterday I stood with Congresswoman Dina Titus, Donna Edwards, Gwen Moore, and nearly a dozen group advocates for what we are calling ``Witness Wednesdays.'' We all read stories about real people, submitted by them, who are struggling since their unemployment insurance has expired. During that event, the National Women's Law Center released a study with some very sobering statistics. Women, particularly older women, women of color, and women heads of households, are deeply affected by unemployment, as are their children by the lack of emergency unemployment insurance benefits. Last year, in my State of Illinois, more than 140,000 children lived in households headed by a long-term unemployed parent. Also, in my State, by the end of the year, nearly a quarter-million people will be left without benefits they need to meet their families' basic needs if we don't renew emergency unemployment insurance. These are real people and real families behind these numbers. These are people looking for jobs.…”