David Thomas: “I find interesting the fact that we are now reduced to simply saying that 13 weeks of unemployment insurance is the…”

“I find interesting the fact that we are now reduced to simply saying that 13 weeks of unemployment insurance is the proper response to a Nation in need, not just those who are currently finding themselves, through no fault of their own, unemployed, but a business sector that does create jobs looking for help. What the gentleman from New York did not tell us was that there are provisions in this bill to provide $13.7 billion to people who do not pay income taxes and perhaps not even payroll taxes. This was a help as a stimulus to individuals who will clearly consume every dollar that they have been provided. The President supported this; we support it. It seems now our friends on the other side of the aisle have decided that is not necessarily a good idea. Oh, it may be a good idea, but it is not worth fighting for. The Senate has defined what it is that we can do. Unemployment insurance is all that we can do. Well, I will tell my colleagues, on this side of the aisle we find that unacceptable.”