Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) has “introduced a bill to provide extra weeks of federally paid-for unemployment insurance benefits for the 99ers — the pool of 1.4 million Americans workers who have exhausted their maximum weeks of federal and state benefits,” the Washington Independent reports.
The Americans Want to Work Act brings the maximum number of weeks to 119 in states with unemployment rates above 7.5 percent, meaning 34 states and the District of Columbia would currently qualify. (As of now, the states with unemployment rates over 8 percent qualify for the federal extension.) It also bolsters a tax credit for companies that hire workers who have been unemployed for more than two months.
Democratic Sens. Sherrod Brown (Ohio), Bob Casey (Pa.), Chris Dodd (Conn.), Dick Durbin (Ill.), Carl Levin (Mich.), Jack Reed (R.I.), Harry Reid (Nev.), Chuck Schumer (N.Y.) and Sheldon Whitehouse (R.I.) are cosponsors.
Update (9/29): Senator George LeMieux (R-FL) objected to an attempt by Senator Stabenow to unanimously pass this bill. He said Republican members were unclear as to how much the legislation would cost and how it would be paid for. Senator Stabenow said these unemployment provisions constituted emergency spending.
(credit image – daylife/associated press)
Congress in Your Pocket
S E N A T U S 
this is great news,but we are out of benefits TODAY and the senators are still going on summer recess. do they not understand the “we are out of benefits”. they are all going home to help boost the votes for the up coming election in the fall. do they not think that if they postponed recess and voted The Americans Want To Work bill in that would raise the votes ???? i sure do…guess they have never been hungry and almost homeless–that’s ok have a great time off
Pat
I do not think that the Republicans care rather we ever have unemployment.We the unemployed are going to have to ban together and show Congress,Senate,and Obama that their are enough unemployed to mess up their plans for screwing us over.So when the campaign starts we need to tell the Republicans to shove it.We are not important enough for them to pass an extension for the 99’RS.Then they are not important enough for us to vote for.We need to get the list of Republicans who refused to do as we ask and fire them in November.
fuck rich snobby business owning corrupt laying off people for a political advantage republicans.
Is there something wrong with you?
Normally I’d agree except the Republicans were ready to vote the last extension in. They held it up asking the Democrats to pay for it by cutting the budget, their pay and perks, and the Democrats just weren’t willing to deal with having to have a 2009 jet when the Republicans who could buy a 2010 one with their petty cash accounts from their businesses so the Democrats refused to pass the last extension adding budget cuts because it would keep them from getting new toys.
We all waited around because Obama, Pelosi, and Hillary couldn’t do without new toys. Heck, Hillary probably needed the extra “pay” so she could get a wedding gift….
I too am out of work and unemployment. Having collected 99 weeks. l look for work daily which is more than an 8 hour a day job in itself. Searching internet sites all day, not getting exercise, just sitting, stressing, wondering how I will make it as a single mom, never having had to go on government assistance I am now forced to. I am well educated and a dedicated professional and am sick of the way we have been treated. Especially by you Senator Ben Stein. For those that do not know Senator Ben Stein states if we 99ers are not yet working there is something wrong with us either or personality or our work ethic, etc. He is the one we all need to go after… I have lost my home, my retirement, now my unemployment and dignity, what next are they going to take away my faith and beliefs in God and our rights to work and support or family? Are we not electing these officials that like Senator Stein sit around and tear down our lives bit by bit? Why are American jobs and money going overseas and Americans have to rely on government assistance? Why are our Unions giving money to alcholic and drug user workers while they are now working and I could be a good worker but they won’t hire because they can’t afford to due to these types of Union protected workers? Why is America going downhill? Why are other countries laughing at us? Why am I losing everything to Wall Street Greed so they can give themselves millions in bonuses and maybe throw us a turkey at Thanksgiving time and think they helped out the nation? Listen up politicians we elected you, you should be serving Americans first, and as for the Unions, you need to get rid of the deadbeat workers without pay and other incentives, this would allow funds for real workers and maybe even lower the prices of goods and autos for sale. Listen up Wall Street maniacs at the end of the day you will have to answer to God! You can not justify your millions while millions of Americans suffer and think for a moment you are right with God. Thank you for listening now get out and make things right all of you.
Kudos to Senator Stabenow and her staff for working so hard to get the Americans Want To Work Act introduced. Now lets get it backed, signed, and sent all the way to the Oval Office for Presidential signature. Maybe in time for the holidays we will have some relief if not a job. I really want to work and I really have a good education and an impressive resume. Now come on don’t stall on this bill I am running out of self-esteem here Mr. President and Congress and Senate. Give businesses the incentives to hire us!
I created a wikipage entry for 99ers, if any wiki pros would like to add to or improve it using reliable sources and information, so historically this time in history is documented and remembered.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/99ers
When I first submitted it, another person in a senior role with wikipedia messaged me asking if it was widespread enough of a term and said he would remove it if there were no sources on the term being used. So I went in and added multiple sources from ABC News to the Washington Post on the term being used. Apparently some people are completely unaware of what’s going on in our world and haven’t even heard about the 99ers. They didn’t even know 1.4 million American families and growing are going through this.
Anybody know a good parking lot where I can sleep I my truck ? Maybe by a river or pond so I can maybe catch a fish to eat ? Or near some good dumpsters ? Hey we are going to need this information folks ! The media doesnt care about the 99ers its not good news like what happen in court to some half baked starlet ! I guess we might find some 7.25 an hour job to at least buy a gallon of gas and some day old food and a shower at a truck stop ? The Senates on vacation drinking something with an umbrella in it some where , Ya realy think they care ? So maybe we will get the 20 weeks but how I wont have a mailbox or a bank account by then , will you? Think about it folks !
Thank you to Senator Sherrod Brown and his colleagues for looking out for the unemployed American worker. Long term unemployment shows a certain prejudice among HR’s of employers who chuck resumes and applications in the trash without consideration. Although, you can imagine the avalanche of paperwork coming through their door as thousands of unemployed workers look for work and are required to search for jobs through resumes or applications or on-site visitations. That can be overwhelming by itself and redundant…
We need to return jobs to America from overseas / offshore. That would bring back wgaes and tax base, and investment dollars.
Wages….
Does anyone know where we stand with the 5th extension going through
The senate is on vacation untill Sept. sometime then after that it will be another long fight , thats where stand as far I all I have read . )>:)
Thank you
This is good news, at least they care about doing something good.
Republicans could care less about the unemployed. You might remember they started the stimulus for the banking industry which is making record profits. Republicans look out for corporate America. Republicans ( an oil President) got us into a 2 front war. Bush came into office with a surplus budget and started the bad debt problem we have now. They sure did not think about overspending then? The weapons of mass destruction ( OIL is what counts). Republicans want to do away with medicare and privatize Social Security. They only care about the rich. If America does not wake up, the rest of us will starve to death!!!!!
How long, how long…..until the entire voting public understands what the Conservatives and unfortunatly, Republican party right along with them, are ‘always’ up to? Lies and deciet which too many Americans continue to believe. Lies and deciet to get the power to hand it all over to the wealthiest.
Y’all heard about the lastest round of bonuses for the CEOs who’s companies recieved billions of tax payer bailouts while laying off thousands of workers? And what is being done about it? We need the government officiating in the game. When government isnt involved, the wealthy always take advantage. If it weren’t so there would be no need for regulation. But we need it on a much larger scale.
Trickle down is a decietful sham.
Lets continue to allow tax breaks to send jobs to cheaper labor markets. The Democrates want to put a stop to it but why can’t they? REPUBLICANS.
Lets continue being patriotic by sending manufacturing overseas and disgracing all our citizens as long as the CEOS get their bonuses and salaries. What an insult to all those who have died
as soldiers for this country; for this?!!!
It is a shame that if it is passed it is not retroactive to date unemployment ran out, but something is a better than nothing.
If it was retroactive back to date we lost our unemployment we would get the back dated and then we would be here again.Most of us have been out of unemployment for more than 20 weeks.
Does anyone know when they will be voting on extension 5 of unemployment?
Doesnt anyone watch the news?There will be a big fight so as not to pass the bill by bolth the reps and the dems.Its election time again and none of the spineless house or senate are going to do anything that might lose them votes especialy more spending!The 99’ers are not on the grid anymore , your not classifide as unemployed because your not getting unemployment compensation!Its all about votes now and keeping there jobs we paid for!There gunna promise ya everything and give you nothing! WAKE UP PEOPLE!!!
No we do not watch the news every day.We are not asleep.We just get fed up with nothing going on.why watch the news when they are on vacation which they take every other month.
STOP!
NO MORE SPENDING
INSTEAD:
Fixing the Economy – Step #1
We have two immediate requests/demands of Congress
#1. Effective January 1, 2011, make it a federal offense for an “undocumented
immigrant” to solicit work, on the streets of “Our United States of America”
#2. Effective April 1, 2011, mandate E-Verify http://bit.ly/ceXZiO
for all employees hired within the past three years.
Make it a federal offense for each “undocumented immigrant”
likewise for the employer.
We have laws against anyone, being in our country, illegally.
ENFORCE OUR LAWS
there are 30 million “undocumented immigrants” of all races,
in our United States.http://bit.ly/bslVmr
Something that few of us, need, asked for, or want http://bit.ly/cos9zf
There are over 25 million Americans unemployed, or under-unemployed
They will soon be joined by 100’s of thousands of returning American soldiers
Every possible job is needed by Americans
Especially jobs for our young people; much of the available work is physical
8,000,000 Illegal Immigrant Workers http://bit.ly/cOm3d4
All while there are over 27,000,000 unemployed American workers
8,000,000 – the number of illegals, using invalid SS numbers,
illegally working at known places of employment.
8,000,000 illegals earning $10 an hour, $20,800 a year,
that’s 8,000,000 X $20,800 equals $166,400,000,000; that’s $166.4 billion
that American workers aren’t taking home for their wives, and children.
Remember all of those jobs that used to be available for teenagers.
Let’s estimate that 1/2 of those unemployed American workers,
are drawing unemployment, at a very modest $300 a week,
$15,600 a year times 7 million American workers; another $109.2 billion dollars
out of taxpayer pockets. (Most of the state unemployment funds are broke).
So those 8 million illegally employed illegals are costing us $275.6 billion;…
but there’s more, they send $65 billion dollars home every year,
so that money isn’t even spent in our United States to support businesses.
That’s $340.6 billion dollars that 8,000,000 illegals are costing us
and that doesn’t include the cost of their Welfare, Food Stamps,
Section-8, Healthcare, Education, or EITC.
one would think that DHS would be all over these employers of illegals,
but Napolitano and Obama prevent that from happening.
@Our Freedom, Property of, We, The People