Herb Kohl: “Today the Senate passed up yet another opportunity to extend and expand unemployment benefits. Instead we passed a…”

“Today the Senate passed up yet another opportunity to extend and expand unemployment benefits. Instead we passed a necessary, but inadequate, 13-week extension of eligibility for extended benefits. Unfortunately, this extension will not help the 1.1 million long-term unemployed workers in this country who have already exhausted 26 weeks of unemployment. Senator Kennedy's attempt to give these hard-working folks who have not been able to find a job for over 6 months additional benefits has been voted down once again by the other side of the aisle. The Congress has been talking for weeks and months about the importance of stimulating the economy and putting money into the hands of consumers. It is clear, however, that the Republicans are not interested in giving all consumers a little extra money but only those who have high paying jobs. What can be more stimulating to the economy than putting money in the hands of people who need it tomorrow, instead of waiting months or years for tax cuts to have an impact? Why can't the Congress give the same benefits to unemployed workers today that they have received in the past? Benefits that these workers have paid for by paying into the unemployment insurance fund? Not only have today's workers earned these additional benefits but they have paid for them as well.”