Nydia M. Velazquez: “I want to thank the gentlelady from New York for yielding. Mr. Speaker, in 16 days, 1.3 million Americans will lose…”

“I want to thank the gentlelady from New York for yielding. Mr. Speaker, in 16 days, 1.3 million Americans will lose their unemployment benefits they have relied on to buy groceries and keep a roof over their heads; and, no, we are not creating fear. This is the reality for 1.3 million Americans who every day get up and go out to the job market to find out that there are no jobs available. This is the reality of American children who are suffering. This is the reality of 1.3 million individuals in this country who will not know how they can pay for the next meal or how can they pay for their rent. This is not the American way. We took care of the doctors; we took care of big farmers at a time when the economy is still struggling in the wake of the 2008 financial collapse. We should not be revoking needed economic assistance from jobseekers while millions of Americans are fighting to get back to work. Last year, unemployment insurance kept 2.5 million Americans and .6 million children out of poverty. If long-term jobless benefits are allowed to expire, next year there will be nothing to protect these families from long spells of unemployment. Unfortunately, this budget fails to extend the unemployment insurance millions of Americans rely on to make ends meet. Allowing jobless benefits to expire will not put people back to work. It will just make it harder for families to pay the bills and discourage people from seeking employment.…”