October 28, 2003

Congresswoman Barbara Lee Signs Discharge Petition That Would Bring Up Bill to Extend and Strengthen Federal Unemployment Benefits Program

Washington, DC – Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) and fellow House Democrats today signed a discharge petition that would force Republicans to bring up a bill that would extend and expand the Temporary Extended Unemployment Compensation (TEUC) federal unemployment benefits program. TEUC benefits are scheduled to expire at the end of the year. The Democratic bill would help 4.6 million Americans by extending federal unemployment benefits for six months, doubling the maximum length of benefits to 26 weeks, and including coverage for the 1 million workers who have already exhausted their extended benefits.

By the end of this month, 172,000 Californians will have exhausted their TEUC benefits and still be unemployed. From November-March, an additional 118,000 Californians are projected to exhaust their TEUC benefits. And between January-June of next year, more than 348,000 California workers are projected to exhaust their regular state unemployment benefits.

“This Administration has added almost 3 million unemployed workers to the ranks of the unemployed since coming into office in January 2001, and we must do everything possible to make sure that the victims of the President’s failed economic policies receive the assistance that they deserve,” said Lee. “Extending and expanding the federal unemployment benefits program is the right thing to do to ensure that families can survive in this jobs depression.”

When the discharge petition receives 218 signatures, the House of Representatives will consider the measure under the discharge rule. A discharge petition is the main mechanism to force a House vote on legislation that has been bottled up in committee.

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