Extension of unemployment benefits delayed indefinitely

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March 2002

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Extension of unemployment benefits delayed indefinitely

On February 14, the House of Representatives failed to act on an opportunity to approve the Senate's simple extension of unemployment benefits. Instead the House re-passed a controversial stimulus package. Every day 11,000 workers exhaust their benefits and 80,000 exhaust benefits each week. The measure would have extended benefits for an additional 13 weeks.

According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, the stimulus bill passed by the House is essentially the same as a previous version that failed by a considerable margin in the Senate.

The Center's Web site provides a state-by-state analysis of the current crisis, detailing the number of workers who have exhausted their benefits, as well as the projected numbers who will lose benefits in the coming months.

The Center estimates that 2 million people will lose unemployment benefits in the first half of 2002. Thirteen-week extensions have been granted during every recession since the 1960's.—Tara Dix

For more information, see:
Economic Policy Institute
It ain't over till it's really over
Deserving workers slip through America's patchwork unemployment insurance system

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