Emergency Unemployment Compensation Continuation Act

Floor Speech

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Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. Madam Speaker, I strongly support the extension of unemployment compensation. Indeed, there is no issue more important to our Nation right now than job creation. At a time when over 11 percent of Florida residents are desperately searching for employment and struggling to survive, it is simply mind blowing that we are not extending these benefits.

Never before has America turned its back on millions of American families as they struggled to make ends meet with this high level of unemployment. Yet the same Republicans, who want to increase our deficit by extending massive tax breaks for the wealthiest Americans, were willing to leave average Americans to fend for themselves and vote against this bill.

Certainly, extending unemployment benefits is not only good for the unemployed; it is also one of the best and fastest ways to stimulate the economy. According to the Economic Policy Institute, unemployment benefits were responsible for creating more than 1 million jobs since the recession started, and adding almost 2 percent to the gross domestic product.

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