NEWS RELEASE

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Al Franken (D-Minn.) joined 12 of their colleagues to call on Senate Republicans to stop playing politics and immediately help pass an extension of unemployment benefits.

The pending bill would extend unemployment insurance by up to 14 additional weeks for jobless workers in all 50 states. According to the Congressional Budget Office, this extension would be fully offset.

“Nearly two million Americans, including more than 13,000 Minnesotans, stand to lose their benefits,” said Sen. Klobuchar. “Unemployment is unemployment, no matter where you live.  Minnesotans without jobs do not suffer any less because our state’s unemployment rate is 7.3 percent.  Under our proposal, all 50 states, not just the high unemployment states, stand to gain up to 14 additional weeks of unemployment without adding a single penny to our deficit.”

“Our economy is making strides toward recovery,” said Sen. Franken. “But until the job market is back, unemployment benefits are vital. I talk to Minnesotans all over the state who don’t know what they’ll do when their benefits run out. These are good, hard-working people who aren’t asking for a handout. They’re asking for a way to take care of their families. It’s time for the Senate to work together to provide this needed relief as soon as possible.”

It was reported that 7.6 million Americans have lost their jobs and the deficit has grown massively since the recession began under President Bush in 2007.  Now, hundreds of thousands of Americans have exhausted unemployment insurance benefits and another million are expected to exhaust their benefits by the end of this year. One-thousand Minnesotans lose their benefits every single week.

Despite the urgent economic imperative, Republicans have held up the bill for nearly two weeks by offering amendments that have nothing to do with helping the unemployed.