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Congressman
John Boehner
Boehner
Statement on Jobs
WASHINGTON,
DC –
Congressman John Boehner (R- West Chester) released the following
statement after the Senate vote on the extension of “emergency”
unemployment insurance.
“Far too
many Americans
are still unemployed in President Obama’s economy. For each of
them, it’s a personal crisis that we cannot overlook. Getting these
people back on their feet starts with a strong safety net – six
months of unemployment benefits – that we continue to have in this
country. But the ultimate solution to joblessness is more jobs.
“That’s
why the House
has passed bill after bill that, taken together, would create a
better environment for economic growth, investment, and new hiring in
America. Dozens of bills are awaiting action in the Senate that would
provide job skills training for the unemployed, ease job-destroying
burdens on small businesses, promote innovation and education, create
energy and infrastructure jobs, and get rid of the president’s
health care law that is making it harder to hire workers in this
country. To help Americans find new jobs, the president should call
on the Senate to act on them.
“One
month ago I
personally told the White House that another extension of temporary
emergency unemployment benefits should not only be paid for but
include something to help put people back to work. To date, the
president has offered no such plan. If he does, I’ll be happy to
discuss it, but right now the House is going to remain focused on
growing the economy and giving America’s unemployed the
independence that only comes from finding a good job.”
NOTE: The
recently-expired
“Emergency Unemployment Compensation” program is put in place
only in the worst economic conditions and is designed to be
temporary. According to the House Ways and Means Committee, the
recent program, which went into place as we entered a recession in
2008, was in place longer (66 months), was extended more times (12),
aided more people (24 million), cost more ($265 billion), and added
more to the debt ($210 billion) than any previous program. The
expiration of this temporary program does not take away the vital
safety net that provides all eligible unemployed workers 26 weeks of
benefits. The unemployment rate is lower today than it was when
emergency benefits were allowed to expire following the recession of
the early 1980s.
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