Rep. Cartwright Releases New Analysis Showing the Growing Number of Pennsylvanians Left in the Cold with GOP Blockage of Unemployment Insurance Extension

Scranton, PA – Today, U.S. Representative Matt Cartwright issued the following statement regarding today’s new report from Ways and Means Committee Democrats showing that by the end of this week, more than 1.6 million Americans will have been cut off from their unemployment insurance.  This estimate is based on the average number of Americans looking for work who are losing their unemployment insurance each week.  Nationwide, nearly 72,000 people are losing unemployment insurance, on average, every week – adding to the 1.3 million Americans who lost their unemployment insurance on Dec. 28. 

 

“Congressional Republicans adjourned last week after blocking an extension of unemployment insurance leaving millions of Americans out in the cold who were laid off through no fault of their own.  And every week, the economic harm spreads even further across our nation,” said Cartwright.  “According to this new report, here in Pennsylvania the number of Americans cut off from this vital economic lifeline as they look for work will soon climb to 87,622.  It is long past time for Republicans to join with Democrats to extend unemployment insurance to help these Americans support their families during their crisis of unemployment.”

 

House Republicans have blocked multiple efforts by Democrats to bring up legislation to extend the unemployment insurance benefit on the House floor.  Senate Republicans last week also voted twice to block legislation to extend the benefit, including an 11-month extension that would scale back the program substantially and offset the costs.