The latest legislative effort to move forward 99er unemployment legislation, H.R. 6556, appears to be at a crossroads. On background, a congressional staffer indicated that Rep. Bobby Scott and rep. Barbara Lee were hoping that their bill would be taken out of committee and voted on before the end of this current congressional session. Unfortunately, while the issue was raised with leadership, there is no guarantee that this legislation will be taken out of committee and moved forward before Congress adjourns for the year.
This important piece of legislation would have added 14 weeks of Tier 1 benefits for ALL unemployed, including 99ers. Reps. Scott and Lee want all unemployed to be covered under this legislation. The staffer offered that a majority of the Congress would support this bill, but that it would still require 60 votes in the Senate.
This stand alone bill would cost approximately $15-16 billion dollars, according to a CBO analyst. That’s a relatively minor amount considering the millions of people that it would help, including millions of 99ers, who have exhausted their unemployment benefits.
The Department of Labor reviewed the original legislation and asked that some technical corrections be made to the bill. If the bill is not brought forward this year, the sponsors hope to address the legislation again during the next session of Congress.
According to OpenCongress.org, H.R. 6556:
Would add 14 weeks to Tier I of federal extended unemployment benefits and make the extra weeks available retroactively to people who have exhausted all their benefits and are still unemployed. For now, the text of the bill can be read here (PDF) http://origin.www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-111hr6556ih/pdf/BILLS-111hr6556ih.pdf
The congressional staffer indicated that in an ideal world this legislation would be voted on. When asked what he would recommend individuals do to move this legislation forward, he said that calling their own congressional representatives is very effective. Another option is to meet face-to-face with their representatives to make a personal appeal. While both Reps. Scott and Lee appreciate the calls of encouragement, those calls would be better directed to other congressional representatives who need to be brought on board to pass the legislation.
A startling revelation about H.R.6556 is it’s relatively low cost. $26 billion in taxpayer money was lost when the Democrats decided to raise the estate tax floor from $3.5 million to $5 million and that change helped 6,600 estates save more than $3 million each. Yet a cost of $16 billion to help millions of unemployed is deemed too expensive by many Republicans and Tea Partiers. How Congress can jump to give multimillionaires more in tax breaks than they are willing to give 15 million unemployed is revealing.
While it’s highly unlikely that this bill will move ahead this year, it’s important to know that your phone calls and visits do help Congress decide what’s important. As the staffer indicated, if people want this bill passed they need to light-up the switchboards; it will get the attention of Congress.
Gregg Rosen of American 99ers Union jumps into the FOX den again
Gregg Rosen has had the courage and strength to repeatedly stand up for the 99er cause under the severe conditions of FOX News. I call Gregg the Fighting FOX, since he so willing to be a guest on shows that are not friendly to the long-term unemployed.
Gregg stood up to the “why can’t you find a job” questioning by pointing out that the unemployment rate is higher now than when the recession “officially” ended in June 2009. You can see Gregg’s entire interview on the attached video,
99er candlelight vigil in Rhode Island a success
Rhonda Taylor, a Rhode Island 99er, organized a candlelight vigil to support relief for 99ers. Her vigil was conducted in some miserable northeast weather with a group of nearly 100 other hardy souls.
You can see the videos of this event at the following locations. Rhonda noted that with the howlng wind the audio is in places difficult to understand:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPt6uvtLfdM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1vGE4nbk-A
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLNdwAoSulk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sl6rvQFmBcw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjYELVhv5Tw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPt6uvtLfdM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-hw_pYLGBw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSv0XgDJyo0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mpljcPh-1U
Efforts like Rhonda’s show the importance of gathering with others to gain attention for a cause. In order for 99ers to see some action in their regard, many more vigils and gatherings like the one organized by Rhonda Taylor are needed.
The Daily List
Congress.org has a great media contact list:http://www.congress.org/congressorg/dbq/media/
You can find your representatives contact information at: http://conservativeusa.org/mega-cong.htm, or at http://www.congress.org/congressorg/directory/congdir.tt.
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I'm looking for stories from people who have been rejected during the hiring process for being unemployed. Have you been the victim of a temp agency that won't give you an interview because you are unemployed? Have you seen jobs ads for "employed only" or "unemployed need not apply"? Have you lost a chance at a job due to a poor credit score? Send your job rejection experiences to mike@layofflist.org.
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Huffington Post
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Comments
We need some of the "rich" who got tax cuts they don't need to put their extra money into a "Friends of the 99ers" emergency fund. Even one person with connections could get some press on the issue. It would be best if it were a Republican!
Its up to the Dems, who are in charge of the Congress until January, to move this forward. They are still in the majority. Madam Pelosi could ram this thru the House if she wanted to (just like gays in the Military) If they were really serious they would offer to pay for HR 6556 by using unspent stimulus monies, or reclaimed TARP funds. I hope they pull it off but I think its unlikely they will work for us with Holiday break fast aproaching. Their priorities are lie elswhere.....
Exactly, sc4ram. The same goes for S.3706, which would have a better chance of passing. If Senator Reid cared as much about the 99ers as he did about healthcare reform, he could hold the Senate in session until the New Year, as he almost did over healthcare. If Speaker Pelosi cared about the issue, she could also bring HR 6556 to the floor, but the Senate would still have to act.
If Senator Reid is unwilling to help the 99ers with his own bill (he is a S.3706 cosponsor), it's unlikely he'd act on one coming over from the House. Either or both could be fully funded using the $200 billion remaining in stimulus funds under ARRA ($15 billion for HR6556 and $50-60 billion for S.3706).
Unfortunately, most constituents of S.3706 cosponsors are unwilling to accept the fact that they were played for fools by their elected leaders-- who no longer have any incentive to help any of their most needy constituents. So, now all of us who care about the 99ers are faced with the unfortunate reality that we have to trust in white knights, unicorns, and one S.3706 cosponsor to help in the waning hours of the session.
Sad and true. It's all about "priorities," and it's obvious to many of us, from the styfling inaction by POTUS 44, Congress, AND the Senate that MILLIONS (the number is constantly growing) of #99ers are NOT their priority...
Hypothetical. IF enough #99ers could find their way to D.C. and 'camped out' on the Washington Mall, similar to the "Hoovervilles" of the Great Depression, and then contracted cholera, a devastating-yet-curable-with-first-world-medical-intervention-disease, then MAYBE the media would deign to cover the ongoing unemployment crisis, instead of blathering on about Mr & Mrs Obama NOT being invited to Kate's wedding to some Prince, IN ANOTHER COUNTRY!!!!
Somebody have a better idea, PLEASE? Although we've received a few blips of somewhat favorable attention from a few of MSNBC's program hosts, 60 Minutes, and ________, the harsh Bottom Line, NO Tier V legislation has even made it out of committee (yet.)
Aaarghh!!!!
Ideas...Focus time, energy and passion finding politicians' best kept secrets and bring them to the clear, to the general public, good way to eliminate them from their greedy careers! Forget about false hopes, it's the little people's turn to make justice, without even using violence. Eliminate them, one by one.
Thats the problem Dann...that the 99ers would rather wait, and wait, and write posts on articles that only the unemployed are reading instead of TAKING SOME ACTION. You are correct, that a MARCH ON WASHINGTON would get some results....but 99ers would rather gather in groups of 5 ppl or less and protest outside their state unemployment office...where those at the office cannot do anything as this is a federal issue. By the time the 99ers wake up and organize, it will be too late. Gut check...mirror time. Take a look at what the students recently did in Britain, the protest about TUITION rates going up...not about heat, no food, etc...tuition. WIth the millions of 99ers, imagine. A march on DC would also quell the LAZY talk, but again, the 99ers refuse to organize.
We have as much chance of getting more unemployment, as being invited to the White House for tea. The rich are catered to and the average American is only good for fighting wars and supporting the rich with bailouts.
Forget it guys there is no cavalry on the way, unemployment, or social welfare to help. Were just not rich enough for that.
Thanks, Mike. It is a real surprise how low the total cost of this legislation would be. I heared the jerks on FOX news tell Gregg that it would cost 'half a trillion' dollars or something outrageous - what would I expect from FOX.
You know I'll be calling my reps - they know who I am and would really like me to go away, I"m sure...too bad.
Kelly
Thats why I'm here..to ultimately go away. You see you're a whiner that wants the govt to continue to taking of you...you have no shame and I'll call you on it everyday -- count on it whiner.
There are 5 million plus out there with an unemployment rate that has been over 9% for 19 months that are looking for a solution. I would ask instead of calling people out everyday, just take one day and please provide us with the answer.
where my fema check?
Getting there...
I 'm not giving up! I called my Representative to fight for HR 6556. I stressed the needs of 99ers, how they are being discriminated for jobs because of gaps in employment and credit issues, through no fault of their own. Let's pray, and with our actions reach out to help our American families and American workers! Prayer, direct phone calls to Washington, continued eloquence and realife stories are powerful.
EVERYONE ! Theres a petition. Go to
petition for the 99rs and sign.
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