Key Senator Introduces Legislation that Provides Extended Benefits to Workers in All States

from the National Employment Law Project:

Yesterday, Senator Max Baucus, Chairman of the Finance Committee,
introduced legislation (Emergency Unemployment Compensation Act of
2009) that provides additional weeks of federal jobless benefits to
workers in all states.Chairman Baucus' bill, which builds on the House
measure (H.R. 3548) that passed last week providing more weeks of
benefits for workers in high unemployment states, helps set the stage
for quick Senate action.

In contrast to the bill that passed on the House last week, under the
Baucus bill, workers in all states will receive an additional four
weeks of federally-funded jobless benefits. Workers in high
unemployment states - those states with unemployment rates over 8.5%
currently 27 states - would receive an additional 13 weeks of benefits,
totaling 17 weeks of additional federal assistance. This is a step
forward, and is thanks to our hard work together.

Action on the Baucus bill is expected in the second half of next week.
Given the strong support in the House for HR 3548, we would expect that
the House would strongly support this new package if the Senate passes
it. Therefore, it is our strong hope that the Senate bill will become a
catalyst for an enactment and delivery of federal jobless benefits in a
number of weeks.

With today's news that the job market took another nose dive in
September, there is likely to be strong support for Baucus's more
generous package.

Still, even if you already have done so, please contact your Senator today:

http://www.nelp.org/page/speakout/FedBenSenNow
Let them know how imperative it is that swift action be taken to extend
benefits for all of the country's unemployed workers, and get everyone
of your friends to do so, so we can have a strong bipartisan vote in
favor of the bill when it comes to the floor.

To read NELP's press release on the bill, click here:

http://www.nelp.org/page/-/unemployedworkers/PR.Senate.10.01.pdf

As we receive more definitive information, we'll pass it along. We wish
the next extension of benefits was starting this week. We know how gut
wrenching it is for those of you who are waiting for Congress to act,
and we are doing everything we can to get this passed soon.

Sincerely,

Andy, Andriette, Tiphany, Rick, Christine, Maurice, Debbie and Judy


The unemployedworkers.org team