Bill To Help Long-Term Jobless Overshadowed By Bill That Could Cut Benefits

WASHINGTON -- After some encouraging signs that Republicans might cooperate with them, the two House Democrats trying to give the long-term jobless extra weeks of unemployment benefits are dismayed the GOP has instead moved a bill that could take benefits away.

Reps. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) and Bobby Scott (D-Va.) want to give the long-term unemployed another 14 weeks of unemployment insurance. In a remarkable April meeting, House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) encouraged them to work with Rep. Dave Camp (R-Mich.), chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, which oversees unemployment insurance.

Instead, Camp is pursuing a bill that would give states the option to spend federal unemployment dollars on paying down debt instead of paying for extended unemployment benefits.

“Instead of acting on our bill to extend aid to unemployed workers who have exhausted their benefits, Ways and Means Committee Chairman Camp wants to gut unemployment benefits and deny millions of jobless workers the means to help make ends meet," Lee and Scott said in a statement. "As we face an unemployment rate of 9 percent nationwide, an unemployment rate for teenagers three times as high as the national average, and an economy where there are 4.4 unemployed workers for every available job opening, it is simply wrong to propose a bill that would further penalize unemployed workers across the country.”

Camp's office declined to comment. Ways and Means will vote on Camp's bill on Wednesday.

Federal extensions of jobless aid have given the unemployed access to 99 weeks of benefits in the states with the worst jobs markets. The Lee-Scott bill would give another 14 weeks of benefits to anyone who's been unemployed longer than six months, so it would benefit Nebraskans who'd exhausted the 60 weeks of benefits they are allotted and Californians who'd run through their 99 weeks alike.

But the bill would cost roughly $16 billion, which makes it a non-starter for Republicans. Lee and Camp at one point broke with Democratic doctrine and said they'd be willing to offset the cost with budget cuts, but they have not followed through with any proposed cuts.

The White House has estimated that 4 million people will run out of jobless aid without finding work this year.

Comments

[louboutin000]

11:44 PM on 06/16/2011

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[fortressfountain]

09:51 PM on 05/15/2011

Just wondering why executive and ceo salaries are still sustainable.

[fullorage]

09:34 PM on 05/14/2011

Dave Camp is some kind of double-talker. Check out his website and see the spin and obfuscation of what he really intends to do with this federal money.
http://camp.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=239925
This money is meant to sustain and support those who have lost their job in this "The Great Republican Depression of 2007-?" Camp is a real shyster from the northwest lower peninsula where the unemployment rate was high since the Bush recession and now stands at somewhere near double the national rate. What Camp is attempting to do is further drive down wages and benefits for workers,which are low in his district already, while enabling corporations to reap enormous profits.
I lived in Dave Camp's district for many years but I had to move to Ohio in 2004 to get even a mediocre job. I didn't do much better in Ohio as I now have the illustrious Jim Jordan as my Rep. I know, bad to worse.

[fortressfountain]

05:11 PM on 05/13/2011

Giving more money to the banks helped them give loans to small businesses did it not? Just a joke.

[Jason Mock]

01:28 AM on 05/19/2011

A joke is right. We have been a small business for two years now and seeking funding. Do you think we have been able to find any? Not a chance in ____, I mean Washington DC

[Grogy]

01:04 PM on 05/12/2011

Jobless claims are down, why? Because of an increase in available jobs, OR people not qualifying for unemployment benefits? I think it is the latter. If this unemployment mess doesn't get straightened out, there's really going to be a blowout in this country. How ridiculous to believe that by providing more money to businesses will increase employment, unless they spend it for their own personal needs and that will soon run out. The only answer is to get money into the hands of the workers, both who are employed as well as the unemployed. That's the only way that businesses will expand.

[SUPPERMAN]

12:53 PM on 05/11/2011

GOP just continues to Screw the people, States are all giving tax cuts to business, thats why they are broke.If you don;t have the revenue how can you can you run the State? It's OK to give aid to business but let the people eat cake! Where are the jobs? GOP is doing nothing to create jobs. Everything but, more interested in social issues. If I want I can go to church for that! Don't need the GOP telling me how to live my life or tell others whats right and wrong. Thought they want smaller Goverment?

[Christine ClarkButler]

10:51 AM on 05/14/2011

Well if you live in California you would know that businiesses are leaving the state because they are paying taxes through the roof! What a lie that states are giving tax breaks to businesses!

[DaveFell1]

11:25 AM on 05/24/2011

Florida has the lowest taxes for business and also the highest unemployment rates...just saying.

[kemcha]

08:18 PM on 05/10/2011

Just watch. Right now, we have 9% unemployment, 15 million unemployed Americans. With the housing industry crashing again and Bank of America betting on the odds that the housing industry will rebound, you have a false sense of security among those who still have their jobs.

Wall Street is stuck in the middle of a financial bubble and it's about to pop. Wall Street is headed for another fall and this one is going to be worse than the mortgage disaster that crashed the world economy back in 2007/2008. You're going to find millions more Americans losing the very jobs they "THOUGHT" were secure.

[Paul Sta]

08:09 PM on 05/10/2011

1.8% GDP, the economy is still circling the drain, extend unemployment so what if its abused, can you really quarrel against extending it after, the abuse YOU (Govt) has allowed of our financial system, trillions spent on TARP, QE 1 and 2 FNMA bailout, and your giving the unemployed grief about a few hundred a week so they can eat cat food, and pay for a few gallons of gas. incredible.

[spinotter11]

08:26 PM on 05/11/2011

There will be no further extensions unless something radically different happens.

[stacibinoregon]

03:43 PM on 05/10/2011

The only pawns our wealthy and politicians have left are those with jobs. The concept that our jobless are "taking" from those still fortunate to have jobs feeds the perfect climate of ignorance required for the incredible wealth transfer taking place. The misdirected anger is working beautifully to mask the greed driven, forever changes taking place in The Land of Opportunity and the destruction of so many American Dreams.

The mass layoffs are still taking place, businesses are still going under, the BLS Reports are systematically tainted to reflect improvement, our labor force stats reveal dramatic change, home values are still falling, it's predicted 2011 foreclosure rates will be record breaking, food costs are soaring.

Wonderful, hardworking people suddenly have altered, degraded fates with no path back. It's horrible to realize others have gained from it.

[angry in ct]

09:18 AM on 05/11/2011

"The concept that our jobless are "taking" from those still fortunate to have jobs feeds the perfect climate of ignorance required for the incredible wealth transfer taking place."

Staci, I could not have said this better myself. All you have to do is read the comments posted on this article and the hundreds of others that HP has dedicated to the long term unemployed (of which I count myself as one BTW) and you see the kind of misdirected ignorance towards the unemployed by those who think that it could never happen to them. "Lazy, drug addled, good for nothing, sucking out the money from us real taxpayers, goof balls who don't have a shred of personal responsibility", that's what emanates from some of the populace who get their opinions about the unemployed from, wait for it, Fake News Channel and the Rush Limblowhards of the world.

Let me be the first to give you a fan and a fave and welcome to the HP posting community.

I'd give you an asbestos suit to protect you from all the tr00//ies who will no doubt come at you with their misguided opinions, but mine's in the cleaners.

[carolr51]

03:09 PM on 05/11/2011

"Wonderful, hardworkin­g people suddenly have altered, degraded fates with no path back."

That says it so eloquently! I appreciate your post, since the above sentence describes my circumstances. The political climate in this ountry does not give me much hope for rescue.

[danglines]

03:14 PM on 05/10/2011

More republican death panels!

[Peppers Dad]

04:06 PM on 05/10/2011

The beatings will continue until morale improves.

/s

[choco1996]

01:45 PM on 05/10/2011

why be suprised the republicans have no interest in helping those in need..only hurting those in need whom choose abortion..how many jobs has this position created, yet through it all under the Obama administration 268,000 jobs were created in the private sector..you tell me who's getting the job done...slowly but moving in the right direction

[IMAUSABABE]

03:48 PM on 05/16/2011

6 million were lost!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Trustfunded1]

12:56 PM on 05/10/2011

The military is hiring.

[Eva fate]

02:33 PM on 05/10/2011

But not if you have any type of disability or are over 35.

[Jason Mock]

01:42 AM on 05/19/2011

Well then I am double jeapordy there. Medical DQ for two dislocated shoulders and born in 1975

[want2trustagain]

12:05 PM on 05/10/2011

To Hotness, You must be one of the lucky ones that still have a job, but there are a few things you need to remember.
1- Everyone is expendable so don't disillusion yourself into thinking that you can't be replaced, it very well could be you standing in the unemployment line tomorrow.
2- I wouldn't wish unemployment on anyone especially if you are over 50 years old.
3- Misery loves company and you must be one of the most miserable nonhumans on the planet.
4- This is the most important Karma can be a real B!TCH and with your attitude she is going to have a field day with you when she comes knocking on your door.

[darkmark]

02:22 PM on 05/10/2011

its already sneaking up on you.

[Cherie Lyon]

02:25 PM on 05/10/2011

Proof or isn't true. Besides, loveable and loving are not the same.

[picaman]

10:57 AM on 05/10/2011

Tell congress to end H1 and H2 visa abuse. Sign the petition on change.org
http://www.change.org/petitions/stop-giving-away-american-jobs

[picaman]

10:56 AM on 05/10/2011

Hey, I thought extending the tax cuts for the wealthy was going to create oodles and oodles of jobs?
What happened?

[jtabs]

11:19 AM on 05/10/2011

Hey didn't MacDonald just hire 64,000 workers to fill high quality and high paying opening in their enterprise, come on what more do you want.

[picaman]

09:10 PM on 05/10/2011

It's not just a job...it's a McJob!

[KDMac]

11:27 AM on 05/10/2011

Didn't you see the latest jobs report?