Our economy is moving in the right direction. Unemployment is down to
8.5 percent – the lowest level in nearly two years. However, there are
still 13.1 million unemployed Americans.
These are our neighbors and they are hard-working, willing to work and
searching for work. We know they prefer jobs to unemployment benefits.
These workers want to – and will – work again. They pay their taxes, and
their employers contributed to the pool of jobless benefits on their
behalves.
These benefits keep food on the table and families in their homes as
they look for work.
Turning our backs on them now would hurt these families and harm our
economic recovery.
Every
one dollar in unemployment benefits can generate up to two dollars in
economic growth.
This is exactly the wrong time to do damage to our economy and leave
families without the help they need to cover the bills.
So let us reach agreement and renew emergency unemployment benefits. We
need to do it for our neighbors and for our economy.
I would like to thank Senator Reed for his leadership on this issue.
He’s been fighting for these workers and he’s been fighting for our
economy. Thank you for your hard work, Jack.
