NEW: Cicilline Web Platform for Sharing Stories, Extending Unemployment Benefits
Thursday, December 08, 2011
On December 31 more than two million Americans will lose the unemployment insurance supporting them as they seek new jobs.
Sharing stories about the hardships of unemployment may encourage Congress to extend federal unemployment benefits. At least, that’s the premise behind the newest feature of U.S. Congressman David Cicilline’s (D-RI) website.
Tell your story
Cicilline’s site now hosts a “Tell Your Story” feature, allowing those affected by unemployment to share their experiences. Tell Your Story asks visitors:
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST“Have you or someone in your family lost a job? Are you struggling to find work or to learn new skills?
How have unemployment insurance benefits affected your life? Have they helped you pay your bills or stay in your home?
What kind of job training or reemployment assistance programs are in your community? Did you receive training or job search assistance?”
The feature’s purpose is to “bring to Washington an understanding of what families are experiencing and what the loss of unemployment insurance would mean,” according to Cicilline.
Legislation to extend benefits
Cicilline has co-sponsored the Emergency Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2011, a bill that would extend federal emergency unemployment insurance program into 2012. He cites “fewer jobs in the economy today than when the recession started… and [record-high] long-term unemployment” as motivation for the legislation.
“Congress needs to understand the challenges facing unemployed individuals in communities across Rhode Island and our country,” the Congressman said. He encourages unemployed Rhode Islanders “make sure that their voices are heard.”
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