Political Quotes

“I came to the floor because later today the Senate will vote on a short-term extension of emergency unemployment benefits for thousands of citizens in New Hampshire-- hundreds of thousands; really over 1 million throughout the country-- who are being hurt right now by our failure to act to extend unemployment benefits. I have heard from a number of New Hampshire constituents since the unemployment insurance extension expired back in December. They make the case much more eloquently than I can about why we need to extend these unemployment benefits. I will read some excerpts from some of those letters. One of my constituents is a 62-year-old woman from Windham, and she explained that despite her best efforts she will be one of the many long-term unemployed without any unemployment benefits if she doesn't find a job by March. She began working at age 8 delivering papers with her brother. She put herself through college and earned a master's degree with the help of her employer. She wrote: I am not too proud to do any honest job. I am losing my house and can't afford to pay my mortgage any longer. There are so many of us out there. Another woman from Windham wrote to me. She is 55 years old. She has held a job since she was 16. Last August, she was laid off in a merger. She has been actively seeking a job in her field, which is health care. She explained that her unemployment check has helped her pay for her essential living expenses.…”