Marty Walsh: “I wish to just clarify one point that has been made by several of the proponents of this amendment, which I think quite…”

“I wish to just clarify one point that has been made by several of the proponents of this amendment, which I think quite clearly is wrong, and that is that this amendment or that the arrangement under the current structure of the bill takes unemployment insurance benefits away. In fact, people will continue to receive their unemployment benefits. So anyone out there who has lost their job, this bill will not take away any of their unemployment benefits. I hope people understand that. In fact, the stimulus package will extend extended unemployment insurance benefits and extend making COBRA payments to all Americans who have lost their jobs since the attack on September 11. Mr. Chairman, I think the debate has been divisive enough, so I would like to try to end on as positive a note as I could. I think the gentleman from California spoke about the integrity of America, the broad-shouldered approach to this disaster on the part of Americans, the sharing spirit of Americans, and I would ask my colleagues from States throughout this Nation to continue that. We need their help. We are in a difficult spot. The legislative process is unwieldy. We cannot always make things work exactly the way we want to. Sometimes we do get tied up in knots. But it is all for the right reasons, Mr. Chairman. It is all to help a city that has been hit and hit hard. As our Governor said, we have been bloodied but we are not bowed.”