Representatives Barbara Lee And Bobby Scott To Introduce Bill To Provide Benefits To Long-term Unemployed
For Planning Purposes Only
CONTACT: Joel Payne, Lee, (202) 225- 2661
Larry Dillard, Scott, (202) 225-8351
Lee and Scott to Stand with Economic Policy Institute and American 99ers Union; Unemployment Benefits More Stimulative to U.S. Economy than Millionaire Tax Giveaways
Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Barbara Lee and Congressman Bobby Scott will join Gregg Rosen of the American 99ers Union and Dr. Heidi Shierholz of the Economic Policy Institute (EPI) to introduce The Emergency Unemployment Compensation Expansion Act, legislation to extend emergency benefits to long-term unemployed workers. Many of these long-term unemployed workers, known as 99ers, have exhausted their benefits and need this assistance to support their families, make ends meet and contribute to our economy. The bill would provide 14 weeks of emergency unemployment benefits to people who have exhausted all their benefits and are still unemployed.
Not only is providing these benefits the right thing to do, but it is sound economic policy that will support our economic recovery. Economic experts, like Dr. Shierolz from EPI, believe that extending these benefits will have a greater stimulative impact on our economy than handing unpaid-for tax giveaways to multi-millionaires.
WHO: Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-09)
Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03)
Gregg Rosen, Co-Founder, American 99ers Union
Dr. Heidi Shierholz, Economist, Economic Policy Institute
WHAT: Press Conference
WHEN: Wednesday, February 9, 2011, 9:45 a.m.
Any media with cameras are asked to pre-set at 9:15 a.m.
WHERE: Capitol Visitors Center, HVC Room 200
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