House Proceeding 09-22-09 on Sep 22nd, 2009 :: 1:44:30 to 1:48:05
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1:44:27 to 1:44:47( Edit History Discussion )

Geoff Davis: this bipartisan budget neutral bill to extend unemployment benefits, and i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves the balance of his time. the chair recognizes the gentleman from kentucky, mr. davis. mr. davis: thank you, mr. speaker. i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the

1:44:30 to 1:48:05( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: Geoff Davis

1:44:48 to 1:45:09( Edit History Discussion )

Geoff Davis: gentleman is recognized. mr. davis: mr. speaker, i rise today in support of h.r. 3548, the unemployment compensation extension act. this legislation provides up to three months additional federal extended unemployment benefits to long-term unemployed individuals and states where the unemployment rate is 8.5% or higher. that's on top of the 18 months of state and federal unemployment benefits already available in places with un employment at those levels.

1:45:10 to 1:45:30( Edit History Discussion )

Geoff Davis: folks could potentially up to 21 months of combined unemployment benefits. right now more than half of the states will benefit from thi bill. an incredible 29 states are struggling with unemployment rates of 8.5% or higher. in the unemployment rate is 11.1%, leaving more than one out of every 10 kentuckians out of

1:45:31 to 1:45:52( Edit History Discussion )

Geoff Davis: work. that's a staggering number. the fact that we're here today discussing a measure that will provide americans with nearly two years' worth of unemployment benefits is yet another sign of the failure of this administration's stimulus plan to create jobs. nothing establises that more clearly than the economic trends in states l commonwealth of kentucky. since 2009 when the stimulus

1:45:53 to 1:46:15( Edit History Discussion )

Geoff Davis: law was signed almost 38,000 kentuckians have been added to the unemployment rolls and it's surged from 9.3% in february to 11.1% today. in the past year nearly 123,000 kentuckians have claimed emergency unemployment benefits after their traditional benefits expired.

1:46:16 to 1:46:37( Edit History Discussion )

Geoff Davis: every week between 800 and 1200 kentucky residents are running out of benefits. early this month the governor sent letter to the kentucky delegation stating that the loss of unemployment benefits would be devastating to many families and will only sink kentucky further behind in the race towards state and federal unemployment accounts are already drained

1:46:38 to 1:46:58( Edit History Discussion )

Geoff Davis: and we're headed for more than $100 billion deficits in these supposed trust funds by the end 2010. about $200 billion deficits by the end of 2012. all of that spending will come at a huge price which could require a doubling or more of state payroll taxes and possibly federal tax hikes as well. payroll tax hikes mean a tax on jobs and ultimately on job creation which brings us ba

1:46:59 to 1:47:19( Edit History Discussion )

Geoff Davis: to the real point of jobs. in february, the administration promised the stimulus plan will create 3 1/2 million jobs. we're still waiting. while the administration claims to save three million or more jobs, in the real world, they've witnessed the destruction of three million jobs since the beginning of this year. the administration promised that national unemployment

1:47:20 to 1:47:40( Edit History Discussion )

Geoff Davis: would not exceed 8%. it's now 9.7% nationally and the president says he now expects it to exceed 10% by the end of the year. larry summers, chair of the president's national economic council said that the level of unemployment is unacceptably high and will remain so for a number of years. it's time to provide much-needed help and assistance to the millions of americans

1:47:41 to 1:48:01( Edit History Discussion )

Geoff Davis: who are struggling in states with outrageous unemployment rates. they should not suffer for the failure of this administration's poll sifments i support these extended benefits and h.r. 3548 to help long-term unemployed workers in kentucky and other states where jobs are the hardest to find. primary task of creating jobs

1:48:02 to 1:48:06( Edit History Discussion )

Geoff Davis: instead of undermining job creation. until we do that we're missing the point.