Posted by AzBlueMeanie:
I have previously suggested that you should call Sen. Jon Kyl's office to "thank" him for being the SOB holding up the extension of unemployment benefits in Congress. Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ) Holds Up Unemployment Extension:
If your unemployment ran out this week, you can thank Sen. Jon Kyl. Yes, the Republican whip objected to a quick vote that would have helped all those people. You can contact him here and thank him for his compassion.
Senator Obstruction now has a friend, Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT), who has joined him in blocking passage of the extension of unemployment benefits in Congress — not that anyone in Arizona's news media has seen fit to report on Kyl's abuse. Yoo Hoo, Media! People Are Hurting And The GOP Still Blocks Unemployment Benefits:
Because of the actions of two Republican senators, every day this month 7,000 jobless workers have lost their unemployment insurance (UI) coverage. Each day these two Republicans continue to stand in the way of Senate passage of a UI extension, 7,000 more workers will run out of benefits.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has tried twice to bring the UI measure to a vote on the Senate floor. First Sen. Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.), then Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) blocked action.
Christine Owens, executive director for the National Employment Law Project (NELP), says workers are “devastated” by the Republican roadblock. Unemployed workers across the country are devastated and dismayed by the failure of the U.S. Senate to extend their lifeline. Every day, 7,000 additional workers are facing the total loss of benefits, in many cases after struggling to find work for more than a year and a half.
The official unemployment rate now is 9.8 percent, while the number of those who have given up looking for work or are underemployed stands at an appalling 26 million workers.
Click here to tell the Senate it’s time to pass an extension of UI benefits.
In September, the House overwhelmingly passed a UI extension that called for an additional 13 weeks of (UI) for jobless workers in high unemployment states (more than 8.5 percent) who have exhausted their benefits without finding new work.
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NELP estimates 400,000 workers exhausted their benefits in September and without any extension, another 1.3 million will run out of benefits by year’s end.
Says Owens: "It’s shameful and callous. Because the Senate has not acted, hundreds of thousands of workers are languishing without any means to support their families in the midst of the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression. It’s time for the Senate to do right by the families hardest hit by the recession—the Senate needs to do whatever it takes, working weekends included, to make this happen."
Shame on every member of the Arizona news media that doesn't hammer Sens. Kyl and Hatch for preventing the unemployed from getting this much-needed help.
UPDATE: What does Sen. Orrin Hatch believe is the most pressing issue in the country today? He has asked that President Obama open a Department of Justice investigation into how the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) determins the college football national champion. I kid you not. Hatch urges Obama to investigate college's BCS
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The arcane rules of the U.S. Senate permit a senator to put a “hold” on legislation, often anonymously. These requests are generally honored when it comes from a senator in a leadership position of his or her party.
Sen. Kyl earned his reputation for being Senator Obstruction over the years. He is “the one” blocking this legislation.
I am speechless with horror that 2 Republican senators could block extension of unemployment insurance. I suggest we see about getting them unemployed – but the sad fact is that they have so much money, unlike the rank and file worker, it wouldn’t matter.
So, here’s the deal. The Senate has the best possible health insurance through the Federal Employees Health Benefits Plan. They have salaries that are waaaay above the wages earned by rank and file workers. Tea baggers??? Where are you???? These Senators should have the benefit of your rage!
The US Congress is responsible for passing laws and appropriations. There are other countries where this is not required.
It would be nice if it was that easy, Lezli.
Unemployment benefits cost money. Congress must appropriate money before it can be spent.
The administration could clear the path to spend the money once it is approporiated but that is not the same thing as actually getting it and cutting checks to anyone. The money has to be in the account before you can write a check.