Reps. Scott and Lee to Chairman Camp: Stop Penalizing Unemployed Workers, Work With Us to Extend Aid for the Long-term

WASHINGTON, DC – Representative Barbara Lee (D-CA) and Representative Bobby Scott (D-VA) released the following statement today in reaction to legislation offered by Ways and Means Chairman Dave Camp (R-MI) that would gut unemployment benefits for millions of displaced workers. Representatives Lee and Scott have requested that Chairman Camp support their bill, HR 589, to extend aid for unemployed workers who have exhausted their benefits. HR 589 currently has 80 co-sponsors in the House.

"Instead of acting on our bill to extend aid to unemployed workers who have exhausted their benefits, Ways and Means Committee Chairman Camp wants to gut unemployment benefits and deny millions of jobless workers the means to help make ends meet. As we face an unemployment rate of 9 percent nationwide, an unemployment rate for teenagers three times as high as the national average, and an economy where there are 4.4 unemployed workers for every available job opening, it is simply wrong to propose a bill that would further penalize unemployed workers across the country."