Today, Rep. Betty Sutton (D-OH) voted to extend unemployment benefits for unemployed workers. H.R. 3548, the Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2009, will extend unemployment benefits by up to 13 weeks for more than 300,000 jobless workers who reside in high-unemployment states and who are projected to run out of unemployment compensation by the end of September. H.R. 3548 passed the House by a 331-83 margin.
The bill will assist workers who have lost their jobs through no fault of their own and who continue to look for work in 25 states with high unemployment (rates higher than 8.5 percent). Under current law, jobless workers in any state are eligible for up to 46 weeks of unemployment benefits. Workers in states with high unemployment rates can get an additional 13 weeks of benefits, or up to 59 weeks total.
"The average unemployment rate in Ohio is 10.8 percent, which continues to be above the national average. In Lorain County, the jobless rate is 9.7 percent. Without the passage of this bill, unemployment benefits will expire this month for roughly 11,642 people in Ohio and 64,545 Ohioans will exhaust their benefits by the end of the year. These numbers clearly underscore the need to help our struggling families during these challenging times. These numbers further underscore the need for our nation to invest in the skills of American workers, spur innovation, and reinvest in our manufacturing base. I will continue to work hard to put Americans back to work," Rep. Sutton said.