Joe Crowley: “For many people, a new year marks a time of hope and optimism. But millions of Americans are, instead, beginning this…”

“For many people, a new year marks a time of hope and optimism. But millions of Americans are, instead, beginning this year with fear and worry. They are wondering how they are going to make ends meet, pay their rent, or put food on the table. That is because they woke up just a few days after Christmas to find that their emergency unemployment assistance had been terminated, cutting them off from a needed lifeline. Now, that is just about the cruelest thing I can think of happening. It is mean. It is unnecessary. It is kicking people who are already down. It is just plain shameful. It is shameful. And it is not the kind of America I believe in. Shouldn't we be embracing policies like unemployment insurance that keep families afloat? Shouldn't we be looking at our communities, our neighbors, and saying, yes, America will be there for you in your time of need? Yes, we should say that. To every one of my colleagues, I say join us in doing the right thing and restoring these needed benefits today. We need to do the right thing and not the wrong thing, and we need to do that now. ____________________”