Herb Kohl: “In past recessions Congress has been quick to extend benefits for the unemployed. Every recession over the past thirty…”

“In past recessions Congress has been quick to extend benefits for the unemployed. Every recession over the past thirty years resulted in a extension of unemployment benefits. Helping unemployed workers has never been a partisan issue, both Democrats and Republicans have worked to help unemployed workers in times of economic difficulty. During the recession of the early 1990's we extended a total of 33 weeks of additional benefits. Current data shows this recession started last March, and we are only now taking steps to finally extend unemployment benefits. We have waited too long, but I am glad the day for action has come at last. I hope the other body will be able to quickly pass this legislation so that this delayed assistance will not be delayed any longer. While I am relieved the Senate has acted, I was disappointed we were not able to do more for workers. Helping people maintain health coverage while out of work would have gone a long way to making working families feel more secure. Covering part-time workers and the newly hired, and providing the States with the necessary funds to make those reforms, also would have helped this country on the road to economic recovery. While some of my colleagues believe that what we have done today will have little or no positive effect on the economy, I disagree. Extending benefits puts money into the hands of people who really need it, and people who will be forced to spend it.”