Bill Extends Benefits Through November 30th, 2010

Washington, DC – Today, Congressman Joe Baca (D-Rialto) voted to stand with American families and extend unemployment benefits for millions of Americans who have earned them through a lifetime of work.  Republicans in the Senate blocked these benefits for more than 7 weeks, causing 2.5 million American families to lose the benefits they earned. Today, Rep. Baca stood up to their obstruction and secured this lifeline for the people of California who desperately need it.

“Extending unemployment benefits provides immediate relief to struggling families, and is an important step to get our economy moving in the right direction,” said Rep. Baca.  “This legislation is especially necessary in the Inland Empire, where the unemployment rate is at 14.6%, well above the national average.  I am proud to stand up for our economy and for American families and make sure they have the unemployment benefits they’ve worked for.”

This bill extends the Emergency Unemployment Compensation and Extended Benefits programs through November 30, 2010, and retroactively restores benefits to some people who already lost theirs.

Extending unemployment benefits is not only good for the unemployed; it is also one of the best and fastest ways to stimulate the economy, according to analysis from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO). Unemployment benefits were responsible for creating more than 1 million jobs since the recession started, and adding almost 2 percent to the gross domestic product according to the Economic Policy Institute.  In fact, every dollar in unemployment benefits creates $1.61 in economic activity, according to Economist and former John McCain advisor, Mark Zandi.

“In these difficult times, it is critical Congress does all it can to get our economy back on track and help those Americans struggling to get by,” concluded Rep. Baca.  “Unfortunately, my Republican Colleagues are committed to continuing the failed economic policies of the Bush Administration, which led to massive tax breaks for the wealthiest few Americans, leaving everyone else out in the cold.  I will continue to fight in Congress for policies that keep struggling Americans on their feet while we work to create more good paying jobs here at home.”