On the recordJanuary 8, 2014
despite the differences between the different sides of the aisle on the underlying legislation-- particularly on the refusal so far of the majority leader to actually pay for the $6 billion cost of the 3-month extension of long-term unemployment benefits and adding that $6 billion to the $17.3 trillion national debt--I am confident both parties would like to find a way to deal with the problem of America's long-term unemployed. There are people who don't necessarily want to collect unemployment benefits because they want a job and they want to work. They want to provide for their families. Even as we stand here and debate yet another extension of Federal unemployment benefits, it is important that we keep the big picture in mind. Obviously, what we are talking about--just to remind everybody-- is the basic unemployment program, which provides half a year or 26 weeks of unemployment benefits. Democrats want to extend that emergency measure, which was enacted after the fiscal crisis of 2008 and now appears to be permanent. We have spent $250 billion since 2008, and to continue to recklessly borrow money from our creditors, such as the Chinese, and others, and leave it for our children to pay back--how responsible is that? The best way to help the unemployed and the best way to help Americans and America is to increase economic growth and increase job creation.…
Source
govinfo.gov




