NEW: Cicilline Urges Extension of Unemployment Benefits
Thursday, December 01, 2011
U.S. Congressman David Cicilline (D-RI) is urging the House and Senate to pass the Emergency Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2011 (H.R. 3346) of which he is a co-sponsor. This vital legislation would continue the emergency unemployment compensation program through the end of 2012. Without legislation to renew this program, federal unemployment benefits are set to expire next month on December 31, 2011.
Congressman Cicilline said, “If the emergency federal unemployment compensation program is not extended at the end of this year, it would be devastating to millions of Americans and thousands of Rhode Islanders. These Americans who have worked hard throughout their lives should not be sacrificed on the altar of partisan politics.”
The Emergency Unemployment Compensation Extension Act would not only extend the federal unemployment programs through next year, but provide relief to states that have federal unemployment insurance loans from interest charges next year, and prevent higher federal unemployment taxes on employers in insolvent states. Families use their unemployment benefits to meet basic necessities like purchasing groceries which increase economic activity, and according to the Economic Policy Institute, allowing these federal unemployment benefits to expire would hurt consumer demand and thereby cost the U.S. economy more than 500,000 jobs.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTThe Director of the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training, Charles Fogarty met with Congressman Cicilline today to discuss the jobs landscape in Rhode Island. According to Director Fogarty, currently in Rhode Island for every two part-time or full-time job openings there are seven applicants.
Cicilline also joined his colleagues Senators Reed and Whitehouse and U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis at a press conference today organized by the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Ways and Means Democrats to highlight the need to extend emergency unemployment compensation.
