MEEK CALLS FOR EXTENSION OF UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS

With Florida's Unemployment Rate at a Staggering 10.6%, Immediate Relief is a Must for Unemployed Americans

Meek: After Florida Legislature's Decision to Leave Over $444 Million in Unemployment Insurance on the Table Earlier This Year, Inaction is Not an Option This Time Around

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Congressman Kendrick B. Meek today called for Congress to extend unemployment benefits by cosponsoring the Emergency Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2009. The legislation, introduced by Representative Jim McDermott (D-WA) will extend several unemployment compensation programs through the year 2010 that otherwise would have expired this year.

"Unemployed Floridians and their families need immediate relief" said Meek. "Extending unemployment benefits is by no means a silver bullet for solving all our economic problems, but it does go a long way towards helping unemployed workers and their families weather the current storm."

Earlier this year, Congressman Meek called on the Florida Legislature to put Florida in compliance with the Unemployment Insurance Modernization Provision of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Sadly, the Legislature failed to act and comply with federal guidelines, thus forgoing over $444 million in recovery dollars for unemployment insurance.

Specifically, today's legislation extends benefits for a number of unemployment compensation programs; including Emergency Unemployment Compensation, which provides up to 33 weeks of extended benefits for workers exhausting their regular unemployment benefits; Extended Benefits, which provides up to 20 weeks of additional benefits for high unemployment states; and Federal Additional Compensation, which increases unemployment benefits by $25 a week. The bill would also provide for an additional 13 weeks of EUC benefits for Floridians.

U.S. Rep. Kendrick B. Meek represents the 17th Congressional District of Florida which includes parts of Miami-Dade and Broward Counties. He serves as the lone Florida Democrat sitting on the House Committee on Ways and Means.

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