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REP. MIKE THOMPSON APPLAUDS BIPARTISAN SENATE ACTION ON EMERGENCY UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE

April 8, 2014

Calls on House to pass Senate’s bipartisan legislation

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson today commended the Senate for passing bipartisan legislation to extend unemployment insurance for nearly 3 million Americans, including more than 514,000 Californians. The Senate passed the Emergency Unemployment Compensation Extension Act by a vote of 59 to 38, which retroactively extends emergency unemployment insurance through the end of May.

“A bipartisan majority in the Senate has passed a long overdue extension of emergency unemployment insurance and now it’s time for the House to do the same,” said Thompson. “The House Majority’s failure to act is hurting our economy and it is hurting families. Their inaction has cost California’s economy $834 million, and it’s cut off important benefits that people looking for work depend on to buy food and pay bills as they make the transition from joblessness back to the workforce.The House Majority needs to immediately bring the Senate’s bipartisan bill to the floor for a vote.”

The bipartisan Senate agreement would:

  • Retroactively restore emergency unemployment insurance for five months, from the end of December, 2013, when these benefits expired, through May 2014;
  • Exclude millionaires from receiving emergency unemployment insurance;
  • Strengthen efforts to help get job seekers back into the workforce; and
  • Be fully paid for by making slight changes to federal pension programs and extending fees on U.S. customs users through 2024.

The House Majority has blocked multiple efforts by Democrats to bring up legislation to extend emergency unemployment insurance on the House floor for more than three months. To overcome this opposition, Thompson joined 192 other House Democrats in signing a petition to force action on unemployment insurance legislation to the floor once a majority of Members of Congress (218) have signed it.

Congressman Mike Thompson is proud to represent California’s 5th Congressional District, which includes all or part of Contra Costa, Lake, Napa, Solano and Sonoma Counties. He is a senior member of the House Ways and Means Committee and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. Rep. Thompson is also a member of the fiscally conservative Blue Dog Coalition and chairs the bipartisan, bicameral Congressional Wine Caucus.

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