Eva M. Clayton: “we have many unemployed persons in my district. In North Carolina alone we have 28,000 people who have exhausted their…”

“we have many unemployed persons in my district. In North Carolina alone we have 28,000 people who have exhausted their insurance already. We have experienced an increase of 105 percent in unemployment. We need to stop the bickering, stop the shenanigans between the two Chambers of Congress and do something for the millions of Americans who need our help. Mr. Speaker, after 8 years of economic prosperity, and budget surpluses, the nation's economy is spiraling downward. Consumer confidence is declining, unemployment is rising, and deficit spending is returning. Today, we are considering a bill that would extend for 13 weeks unemployment benefits for displaced workers. During the past year, more than 1.5 million jobs were lost. Many unemployed persons have exhausted their unemployment benefits. In my State, North Carolina, more than 28,000 people have exhausted their unemployment benefits, and we have experienced an increase of 105 percent in unemployment. Others were not eligible for unemployment compensation or health care benefits because they worked for short periods of time, or in temporary or part-time jobs. A national economic stimulus package must provide additional relief for unemployed workers. Helping unemployed workers is the first thing to do and it is the smart policy to address the economic slowdown. This certainly is more effective than more huge tax cuts for large corporations and wealthy individuals.”