Stephanie Herseth Sandlin: “Mr. Speaker, after September 11 hundreds of thousands of Americans lost their jobs and were forced to seek unemployment…”

“Mr. Speaker, after September 11 hundreds of thousands of Americans lost their jobs and were forced to seek unemployment benefits. Earlier this month we voted to extend unemployment benefits for an additional 13 weeks. Unfortunately, the extension we approved on March 7 does not apply to those who receive unemployment benefits through the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Today we are considering legislation that would address that oversight. Unemployment benefits are crucial to those who have lost their jobs in order to pay their bills and preserve their dignity. In the same way Social Security provides our Nation's 32 million seniors with crucial monthly income, it helps pay for their costly prescription drugs and otherwise keeps them out of poverty. Unfortunately, the Republican budget for 2003 taps into the Social Security trust fund every year for the next 10 years, over $1.8 trillion through 2012. That is simply unacceptable in this country. The legislation we are considering today provides funding for unemployment benefits for those directly affected by September 11.”