read more on the UNOFFICIAL blog on the Congressional Black Caucus
Here's a group that were forgotten in the massive $900 billion tax bill. Reps. Barbara Lee and Bobby Scott offered legislation on Friday to assist the "99ers" who have exhausted their 99 weeks of unemployment insurance. I wondered: Why would a member introduce a bill on one of the last days of the 111th Congress that was unlikely to see action?
read more on the UNOFFICIAL blog on the Congressional Black Caucus
Answer: They tried to add the language of the bill into the massive $900 billion tax deal just passed last week. Having failed to do that they offered a stand alone bill and will offer it again in the 112th Congress.
With over 1 million people plus who could fit the description of "99ers" there was an overwhelming response regarding this issue. WHUR radio (Howard University) host George Wilson and I decided to speak with one of the sponsors of the legislation, Rep. Bobby Scott of Virginia yesterday regarding "99ers." Though the 111th Congress is expected to end for the year in the House today, Reps. Lee and Scott plan to offer H.R. 6556 again when Congress returns after January 5, 2011. Here, we spoke with Rep. Scott in his Capitol Hill office in Washington about two hours ago:
Provisions of H.R. 6556: ••• This section provides 14 additional weeks of emergency unemployment compensation in Tier I. ••• This additional benefit will be available for those who have exhausted all their benefits (99ers and other exhaustees) as well as those who will be unemployed this year. ••• This expansion is similar to the expansion in Nov. 2009 which provided an additional week of benefits to Tier II. ••• Adding these extra weeks in Tier I makes them available for all chronically unemployed and not only those currently collecting unemployment benefits from a "high unemployment state."
read more on the UNOFFICIAL blog on the Congressional Black Caucus