Unemployment Extensions | H.R. 4213 debate on Senate floor today
By: T. Cahill
Washington, D.C. (Jun 8th) – After a long Memorial Day recess, the Senate spent its first day back, June 7, dealing with confirmations. Lucy Haeran Koh (CA) was confirmed to be the U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of California. The Senate also confirmed Audrey Goldstein Fleissig (MO) as the U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of Missouri.
As stated on the Senate.gov website, Tuesday, Jun 08, 2010, at 10:00 a.m. (EDT), the Senate convened and has been asked by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to turn its attention with respect to H.R.4213, the tax extenders bill. Prior to recessing for ten days, on May 28, 2010, the House resolved its differences regarding additions tacked onto the bill by the Senate with a roll call vote of 245 to 171. In turn, the House passed their approval back to the Senate with cavaets.
That is where everything has stood, at a standstill, for the past two weeks as millions of unemployed Americans, who through no fault of their own, now rely on unemployment benefits to make it through each week. The addition of an amendment, American Jobs and Closing Tax Loopholes Act of 2010, by the House, means the fate of millions now rests in the hands of the Senate for financial assistance.
At approximately 11:30 a.m. PDT, Senator Max Baucus, who is famous for his statement that no one needs more than 99 weeks of unemployment, addressed his fellow Senators appealing to them to extend unemployment benefits to those currently receiving emergency tiers of financial aid. Without passage of this bill all emergency tier advancements came to a halt on June 2, 2010.
While it is anticipated that the Senate will do the “right thing” and vote to pass H.R. 4213, thus giving temporary peace of mind to millions, this is not a permanent solution. Nor will passage of this bill help those who have already been out of work for over 99 weeks and receive no assistance whatsoever. The creation of promised jobs has never been so vital. The amendments encompass such inclusions as extending COBRA health insurance, Medicare payments to doctors, as well as closing the seismic holes the past administration tore into the fabric of American lives; penalizing businesses that ship American jobs overseas for cheaper labor at less pay and no benefits.
With a few Democrat hold-outs, the majority of naysayers for helping jobless Americans has come from the Republican side of the Senate aisle. Willing to fund wars and block much-needed reinstatement of regulations on financial institutions, said group has to date demonstrated an icy cold heart when it comes to its fellow citizens in trouble.
H.R.4213, American Jobs and Closing Tax Loopholes Act of 2010, was sponsored by Representative Charles B. Rangel, Charles B. [NY-15] and introduced on December 7, 2009. As with all acts of legislation, this bill has become convoluted and intertwined with other related bills such as H.RES.955, H.RES.1403, H.R.1935, H.R.3931, and H.R.3933, as well as Senate legislation S.1934, S.3191, S.3333.
Millions of jobless now must await the outcome of today’s Senate session. Updates will be made available as information is received. A live stream of the Senate floor is available at www.cspan.org/Watch/C-SPAN2.aspx
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12 Responses to Unemployment Extensions | H.R. 4213 debate on Senate floor today
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TC
June 8, 2010 at 3:08 pm
It should be noted: Unemployment does not necessarily go 99 weeks. In my case, the third extension was shortened from 20 weeks to 1 week, thus giving me four months less to find employment. It would be helpful for those is similar situations to have extension that had been shortened, retroactively reinstated.
[Editor's Note: "TC" who has submitted this comment is not the T. Cahill who wrote the news story, just so we're all clear here.]
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cbr
June 8, 2010 at 4:23 pm
how didyourunemploymentyet shortened from 20 weeks to 1?
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Joanne
June 8, 2010 at 4:38 pm
The maximum number of weeks available at each level of unemployment benefits (totaling 99 weeks) is:
• Regular benefits – up to 26 weeks
• EUC Tier I – up to 20 weeks
• EUC Tier II – up to 14 weeks
• EUC Tier III – up to 13 weeks, only available in states that have a three-month average unemployment rate of at least 6%
• EUC Tier IV – up to 6 weeks, only available in states that have a three-month average unemployment rate of at least 8.5%
• EB – up to 20 weeks; the availability and the length of EB vary from state to state, so you have to see your particular state’s requirements for EB.
What “third extension” are you taking about?
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T. Cahill
June 8, 2010 at 5:11 pm
Thanks Joanne for a nice summary of what is what and who does what.
For instance, even though Nevada is hardest hit and our unemployment rate (unproven) is 14.9% at last count (more like 20% would be my guess), I did receive information via a source in my rep’s office that Nevada, at the time he and I spoke (about 2 weeks ago) did not have anything in place to take over once a person runs through the federal monies.
However, he also stated things change almost hourly. So your statement for individuals to check with one’s own State is excellent advice.
Let’s just pray they do the right thing. I will have updates on this since the Senate itself is adding their own amendments. This means it’s back to the House to see if they will accept it (or not).
Playing with people’s lives… no fun.
Thanks again.
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Joanne
June 8, 2010 at 11:40 pm
There has been particular confusion over EB. Technically, when the 100% federal funding expires, the traditional EB funding formula is reinstated: 50% paid by the state/50% by the federal government.
Some states — but not all — cancel EB when the 100% federal funding expires; it depends on the EB requirements in their states. Other states — like New Jersey — are required by their own law to provide EB (regardless of the source of funding) when the three-month-average unemployment rates triggers EB at certain levels.
The NJ Governor would like to change the EB law in the state to make availability of EB dependent on 100% federal funding, not the three-month average unemployment rates — but to date the NJ State Legislature has blocked him from doing that.
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Last Word
June 9, 2010 at 9:10 am
Thanks Joanne for explaining this. Maybe you should send this to our congress including Nancy Pelosi who made a statement “99 weeks is enough”. I myself have been unemployed since May 2009 and received my last unemployment check March 2010. I was not eligible for 99 weeks due to being laid so many times before. Basically there was not enough money paid into my state’s unemployment funds. The key words are UP TO how many weeks of benefits you will receive. In my case I received half of every EUC Tier. It’s a fallacy people are drawing 99 weeks of unemployment benefits’.
Thank you for clarifying this so well.
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rich
August 3, 2010 at 12:30 am
i am not understanding how that happened..as i Know once u enter A Tier u can finish That Tier even if youre past the Deadline
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RP
June 9, 2010 at 2:08 am
Please call your Senators every day until HR 4213 passes! Get your family and friends to help. If you care about your fellow Americans, please, please, tell the Senate to stop stalling on the extension of Federal benefits. I don’t want a gov. check, I want a job but they just aren’t there yet. Don’t forget about us.
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Cheryl Kolb
June 13, 2010 at 1:03 pm
I went back to school full-time to make the most of my unemployment because they shipped mine and my husbands jobs to Mexico. The TRA has still not been approved and we need those benefits to make our house payment. I want a better life and in 2 years will have a degree to show for it if they will simply pass the extensions I need just to make the mortgage.
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T. Cahill
June 14, 2010 at 5:49 pm
Hi Cheryl, congratulations on your return to school! Smart move on your part. You’ve done your FAFSA for the Pell Grant, etc., I hope? (Free money for higher education)
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De
June 18, 2010 at 11:48 am
I am watching the Senate right now 6/18/2010 and I am noticing the unemployment and Cobra is not showing under “Today on the Floor” it only lists general speeches. It’s as if we have all disappeared! If you want to watch the lack of actual work completed by the Senate just watch C-Span2 any day of the week after 10:00am eastern
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De
June 18, 2010 at 11:49 am
Tell the Senate what their childish games are doing to you! Pass Cobra nd unemployment. We have worked hard all our lives and followed the rules, no jobs or any jobs that actually pay any money not being available is not the US citizens Fault!
Leave plenty of direct messages on what they need to pass now and why!
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