Today, Representative Matt Cartwright commended Senate bipartisan action on legislation to extend unemployment insurance for nearly 3 million Americans, and called on the House to follow suit.  The Senate passed the Emergency Unemployment Compensation Extension Act by a vote of 59 to 38, which retroactively extends emergency unemployment insurance through the end of May.

“Bipartisan action in the Senate on unemployment insurance is a crucial step for economic security for 158,400 Pennsylvanians, and now is the time for long overdue action in the House.  The economic crisis suffered from the cut off of unemployment compensation has continued for 3 months, spread to more than 2 million Americans and cost our state’s economy $317,877,824,” said Cartwright.  “It is time for Speaker Boehner and House leadership to listen to the American people and restore this vital economic lifeline that helps people support their families and pay their bills while they look for a new job.  To force action, I have joined with 192 of my Democratic colleagues in signing a petition to hold a vote on extending unemployment insurance.”

The bipartisan Senate agreement would:

• Retroactively restore emergency unemployment insurance for five months;
• Exclude millionaires from receiving emergency unemployment insurance;
• Strengthen efforts to help get job seekers back into the workforce;
• Be fully paid for with pension smoothing and extending fees on U.S. customs users through 2024.

Despite the growing struggles for these families, House leadership has blocked multiple efforts by Democrats to bring up legislation to extend unemployment insurance on the House floor for more than three months.  To overcome this opposition, 193 House Democrats have signed a discharge petition to force action on this widely supported legislation.  The discharge petition will require the House to consider the unemployment insurance extension legislation once a majority of Members of Congress (218) have signed the petition.

“Action to create jobs and build an economy that works for everyone must start with restoring  unemployment insurance for hardworking Americans who were laid off in the recession through no fault of their own,” noted Cartwright.