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A spokesperson for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has said that Senate Democrats will consider legislation to extend unemployment benefits and to provide aid to state and local governments after they take up a jobs creation bill next week.
However, on Thursday, Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) revealed that Democrats have yet to secure any Republican support for the $15 billion jobs bill proposed by Reid before the recess -- nor could Schumer quantify how many Democrats would support the bill.
Speaking at a press conference with Schumer on Thursday, Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) confirmed that Democrats will seek to extend the EUC Tier program by providing benefits to jobless workers for up to 53 weeks -- which is the total length of existing Tiers I, II, III, and IV.
Reed said he also wants to extend COBRA benefits for the unemployed through year-end 2010, but he offered no details on those plans.
Like Schumer -- Reed could not predict when UI/COBRA extension legislation would reach the floor of the Senate.
I see why Reid is stating the unemployment idea the way he is. Most people can't find jobs right now who are on unemployment. Unemployment can't go on for forever. It sucks to say it but they can't just keep adding on tiers but at the same time they need to let people who just started collecting the original unemployment claims or Tier 1 or Tier 2 the same rights that the people who are now on tier 3-4 have received.
Unemployment cant go on for forever at some time the senate is going to have to make the hard decision an stop granting extensions. This is gonna make some people very mad but it will be done. I hope they extend benefits but i dont believe that they will add any more tiers. From how Reid an other congressmen have talked it seems like they are tip toeing around it.
I see why Reid is stating the unemployment idea the way he is. Most people can't find jobs right now who are on unemployment. Unemployment can't go on for forever. It sucks to say it but they can't just keep adding on tiers but at the same time they need to let people who just started collecting the original unemployment claims or Tier 1 or Tier 2 the same rights that the people who are now on tier 3-4 have received.
Unemployment cant go on for forever at some time the senate is going to have to make the hard decision an stop granting extensions. This is gonna make some people very mad but it will be done. I hope they extend benefits but i dont believe that they will add any more tiers. From how Reid an other congressmen have talked it seems like they are tip toeing around it.
Actually, it was Senator Jack Reed of Rhode Island -- not Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid -- who made the comments yesterday. But I agree with your thought.
Jack Reed was basically saying that the Democrats intend to continue the EUC Tier program -- but to cap the benefits at a maximum of 53 weeks (the current total). They are continuing the program by extending the cut-off dates past February 21/28, so more people will be eligible to collect up to the full 53 weeks.
But Reed was trying to put a positive spin on the message. He described the plans in a way that would not call attention to the fact that there will be no additional federal benefits for those who are close to exhausting the 53 weeks. Instead, he emphasized that the Democrats' intention is to pass legislation that would continue to provide 53 weeks of federal extensions -- which, of course, would be good news for those who are more recently unemployed.
Because of funding limitations at this time, they aren't considering extending the cut-off date past May 31, 2010 -- which clearly is not going to be enough time for every unemployed person to collect the maximum federal extensions. It will be interesting to see the condition of the economy and the level of unemployment in May -- and how Congress addresses those issues then.
If all this comes true, Im really curious whats going to happen. There are still far to many people out of work right now in my opinion to make this work. I was expecting to be good till Oct/Nov but if they dont extend past the end of May my EB in Michigan goes out the door it appears. It they are going to complain about the budget then we should also expect them to quit funding the wars and all the other BS they fund. 8 million people with no money is not going to be pretty.
They are continuing the program by extending the cut-off dates past February 21/28
diorgirl - what do you mean by Feb 21/28 date? I thought it was Feb 28? My current tier expires before Feb 28 so I might be lucky and get on to the next tier before that. But if its Feb 21 I have a problem.
so say my tier 1 ends a week or two after the feb 28 deadline, but then they do decide to extend the cut off date to may, would i then be able to go to tier 2? even if i go a few weeks without a check?
so say my tier 1 ends a week or two after the feb 28 deadline, but then they do decide to extend the cut off date to may, would i then be able to go to tier 2? even if i go a few weeks without a check?
I do hope they are able to enact legislation for an extension as many of us who were laid off in the latter end of the job decline are just getting through our original claim or into the very first Tier. I was not able to transition into T1 because I took a contract position that is now coming to an end very soon. Without an extension, I will soon be without income. Without this extension, those who were affected by the tail-end of job declines will be without benefits between now and May and at most only able to reach Tier 1 benefits. In a market, where jobs losses are still significant and job growth is limited, something will have to give one way or another.
The whole idea of them talking about only 53 weeks now is a joke, Everyone is in the same boat weather its long term or short term. We cant find jobs. It should go on until jobs can be found and people can sustain themselves. I guess we will see what happens when everyone drops off. How this is going to be good for the economy is beyond me when this happens. Most of the money that is given in UE goes right back into the economy for everyone's bills.
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