Political Quotes

“Mr. President and colleagues, the only thing worse than what the Republicans have done here--cutting off desperately needed unemployment insurance to millions of American families and communities--would be to allow a bill to pass that promises money without actually delivering it. Even if this short-term extension were to pass, State agencies--the experts in this field--have told us and the ranking Democrat on the Finance Committee in very clear terms that States don't have enough time to reprogram their systems and avoid a lapse in benefits. The State unemployment systems are not equipped to flip these unemployment benefits on and off. Short-term extensions don't work and will not work from an administrative standpoint. No Senator has to take my word for it. The National Association of State Workforce Agencies has said what I have just said: A short-term extension isn't enough for the hard-working Americans relying on this lifeline who don't have jobs to go back to. What about next week and the week after that? The only responsible route is to agree to the extension with triggers that will lower the payments only when it is appropriate to do so, and that means when the economy is in recovery, not when the economy is in freefall like it still is now. Republicans wish to cover for the fact that they refused to come to the negotiating table for months. I looked at the record.…”