Senate Proceeding on Oct 5th, 2009 :: 2:59:00 to 3:02:45
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2:58:45 to 2:59:06( Edit History Discussion )

Jack Reed: roll a senator: madam president? the presiding officer: the senator from rhode island. mr. reed: i would ask unanimous consent to dispense with the lling of the quorum. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. reed: i would also like to ask unanimous consent to speak as if in morning business? the presiding officer: without objection. mr. reed: thank you, mr. president. mr. president, i rise in support of a swift extension of the unemployment insurance benefits

2:59:00 to 3:02:45( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: Jack Reed

2:59:07 to 2:59:29( Edit History Discussion )

Jack Reed: to help jobless people throughout this country. last week, we learned that the economy had shed 263,000 jobs in september. the unemployment rate increased to 9.8%. now, i will grant you that this is a remarkable change since the first of the year where 700,000 jobs or more were being lost,

2:59:30 to 2:59:50( Edit History Discussion )

Jack Reed: but still, that is very -- very small comfort to those people who are losing their jobs and others who are losing their nefits as we fail to act swiftly and extend unemployment benefits for this is particularly the case in my state of rhode island. we are looking at a 12% unemployment rate. there are thousands that have

2:59:51 to 3:00:11( Edit History Discussion )

Jack Reed: already exhausted their unemployment benefits, and there are another 4500 who are estimated in my state they will lose their benefits before the end of the year. this is an extraordinary number of people who are out of work. they are finding incredible difficulty in securing jobs. i ask that my colleagues come

3:00:12 to 3:00:32( Edit History Discussion )

Jack Reed: together and support an extension of unemployment the house overwhelmingly passed such legislation on a bipartisan basis, and i've introduced legislation here along with my colleague senator lindsey g of south carolina because this is not a partisan issue. the job losses in this excuse me -- in this country are

3:00:33 to 3:00:53( Edit History Discussion )

Jack Reed: across the nation. they are affecting working families. they are affecting people that have working hard, and now they face a huge crisis. without a job, facing the uncertainty of the future, health care issues, tuitions for

3:00:54 to 3:01:14( Edit History Discussion )

Jack Reed: colleges, those things that families struggle with every day. and in addition, unemployment insurance is one of those features of support that actually increase demand, accelerate the economy. the effect of unemployment insurance for each dollar, there

3:01:15 to 3:01:35( Edit History Discussion )

Jack Reed: is economic activity generated. this time we're trying to jump-start the economy, to move it forward, to give it momentum so that it doesn't falter and fall back. unemployment insurance provides not only individual assistance, but it also assists the economy. we are in the most severe

3:01:36 to 3:01:56( Edit History Discussion )

Jack Reed: economic downswing since probably the great depression, and we have to go ahead, help people who need the help, based on their work. this is one of the other valu of insurance. these people are our colleagues and friends and neighbors who have worked and now they're without work. and work. but in that interim, before they're able to find a job, they

3:01:57 to 3:02:18( Edit History Discussion )

Jack Reed: need us to provide them some nimal support and also to ensure that our economy continues to move forward. so, mr. president, i would urge all of my colleaes to follow the lead of the house that on a bipartisan basis we can extend unemployment insurance to millions of americans.

3:02:19 to 3:02:29( Edit History Discussion )

Jack Reed: floor and note quorum. the pres will call the roll.