Velazquez on Budget Deal

Washington, DC – Rep. Nydia M. Velazquez spoke today on the House floor in opposition to the recent budget which did not include an extension of unemployment benefits. Following are her remarks as prepared for delivery:

"In 16 days, 1.3 million Americans will lose the unemployment benefits they have relied on to buy groceries and keep a roof over their heads. By the end of the first quarter, an additional 850,000 Americans will have lost their benefits. The economy is still struggling in the wake of the 2008 financial collapse. We should not be revoking needed economic assistance from job seekers while millions of Americans are fighting to get back to work.

"Last year, unemployment insurance kept 2.5 million Americans and .6 million children out of poverty. If long-term jobless benefits are allowed to expire, next year there will be nothing to protect these families from long spells of unemployment. Unfortunately, this budget proposal fails to extend the unemployment insurance millions of Americans rely on to make ends' meet. Allowing jobless benefits to expire will not put people back to work; it will just make it harder for families to pay the bills and discourage people from seeking employment. I urge my colleagues to continue fighting for struggling Americans, and I hope that Americans are playing close attention to what is happening in Congress today.

"Thank you. I yield back the balance of my time."