Senate Proceeding on Oct 28th, 2009 :: 4:52:20 to 4:55:10
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4:52:03 to 4:52:23( Edit History Discussion )

Charles Schumer: i hope my other -- my colleagues on the other side of the aisle will come around and be part of the solution. th yield the floor. mr. schumer: mr. president? senator from new york. mr. schumer jr. first let me thank my colleague and friend from illinois for, as usual, his articulate, right on the money, and right to the point remarks, which i agree with.

4:52:20 to 4:55:10( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: Charles Schumer

4:52:24 to 4:52:44( Edit History Discussion )

Charles Schumer: right now, mr. president, many middle-class families are facing the prospect of losing the unemployment benefits they're relying on to get them through this recession. out-of-wor americans consider these benefits a life line, but too many republicans are treating this like a political football. if congress doesn't act to

4:52:45 to 4:53:05( Edit History Discussion )

Charles Schumer: extend these benefits, nearly two million aricans will lose their unemployment insurance by the end of the year. two million. they have families, people who depend on them. and 90,000 of those are in my home state of new york. that's two million people, 90,000 in new york have been trying to find work and are now going to have their safety net

4:53:06 to 4:53:26( Edit History Discussion )

Charles Schumer: pulled out from under them. well, we can't pull the rug out from under so many americans. we owe it to them to do the right thing and extend unemployment insurance. it's a mystery to me why so many on the other side of the aisle are blocking passage of this legislation. everywhere i go, in new york,

4:53:27 to 4:53:47( Edit History Discussion )

Charles Schumer: down state, upstate, large cities, people come up to me with a pleading look in their eye. can you please renew, extend unemployment benefits? what the heck are we waiting for? why are we putting people through this agony? now, republicans so far have been opposed to this extension as they seek to extract

4:53:48 to 4:54:09( Edit History Discussion )

Charles Schumer: political amendments out of leader reid. it's just another example, the latest one, of the stalling stragy. on one legislative priority after another, their motto has been the 1980's slogan "just say no." but if it's one thing this recession and budding has taught us, it's that america can't recover, leaving behind

4:54:10 to 4:54:30( Edit History Discussion )

Charles Schumer: our work force. there is a general view that since much of the first stimulus package has not yet impacted the economy, a second one is not necessary, but unemployment benefits are the quickest, most effective form of economic stimulus, and they're aimed at the weak point of this economic recovery, which is jobs. the dollars get out the door

4:54:31 to 4:54:52( Edit History Discussion )

Charles Schumer: fast and will be spent bay those who don'tave another source of income boost consumer demand. so i plead with my colleagues on the other side of the aisle stop playing the games and let's just pass unemployment insurance. i know there are lots of extraneous amendments on all kinds of issues that you wish to debate. leader reid has been very generous in allowing debate

4:54:53 to 4:55:10( Edit History Discussion )

Charles Schumer: after debate these amendments, much to the chagrin, frankly, of many on this side of the aisle. this is one time when we should put the games we should just unite. my guess is that unemploymen insurance extension will get a large,igh vote on both sides