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Congress Links + Unemployment Benefits

July 21, 2010 - by David Moore

The major unemployment bill (H.R. 4213) is of course our most-commented and most-tracked bill by users over the past month. For all the best info: peruse its latest news and blog coverage from around the Web, see the highest-rated user comments, visit our community-generated Benefit Wiki project to better understand how it affects your state, read our helpful past coverage of the bill’s long journey, and send us your questions: writeus at opencongress dot org.

Today’s Congress Links ::

  • Republicans delay the vote to extend unemployment benefits for those who have been out work.(Reuters)
  • Gail Russell Chaddock discusses why extending unemployment has been so difficult this time around.(Christian Science Monitor)
  • Sens. Charles Schumer, (D-NY) and Tom Harkin, (D-IA) are urging the Federal Reserve for more credit card protection. (AP)
  • The Senate Judiciary Committee approves Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan.(LA Times)
  • House and Senate Democrats fight over the delay of the food safety bill. (Washington Post)
  • The Senate Democrats overcome a threat of a filibuster to pass unemployment extension benefits.  More coverage of this is on our blog. (NY Times)
  • With the passage of unemployment benefits extensions, Republicans say that the US cannot spend more money than it has. (ABC News)
  • Senate Democrats have said the House Democrats may cut education money in order to pass a war speding bill. (CNN)
  • Senate Democrats may not get enough votes to pass environmental legislation. (Washington Post)
  • President Obama urges Congress to pass equal pay legislation. (USA Today)
  • Sponsoring 137 bills, Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) is rated the most active member of Congress. (US News)

Today’s helpful bundle of Links come from OC Research Assistants Jason Rhee and Hilary Worden. Image of Sen. Schumer (who we must resist calling Chuck, as we esteem the U.S. gov’t and don’t [yet] know him personally, although Senator, holler at us, some of us are your constituents in NYC yo!) via our data- and talent-rich news partners Daylife.

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Congress Links Schumer Charles Schumer Elena Kagan Democrats Unemployment Unemployment Benefits H.R. 4213
 

Comments

Displaying 151-180 of 219 total comments.

  • Christine58 07/21/2010 5:10pm
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    I rather have a pint please…..hehehe

  • AlmostHomeless 07/21/2010 5:10pm
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    Okay people, the situation is slightly better now for the most of unemployed. Why all the childish behavior?

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    artledoux 07/21/2010 7:41pm
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    Because we’re giddy with excitement!

  • Abaratarrr 07/21/2010 5:38pm
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    childish maybe, but people have been repeating the same lie over and over today even after it was proven to be false is was repeated yet they never admitted they were wrong.

    This is far from over we desperately need a teir 5 and we need to work togather to get it, it is not a republican vz democrat issue frankly it is very couter productive to even say the worlds Democratic or republican when out focus is unemployment not the November elections.

    There are only two people in the senate that have talked about providing a fifth tier one democrat sherrod brown and one republican tom coburn, no one else admits we exist, for a 5th tier to happen both parties need to come to an agreement, blaming one party when both parties are playing games divides us when we should be making a united front and letting both parties know that we are paying attention and will not fall for their games.

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    Drewbot78 07/21/2010 6:17pm
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    Abaratarrr it’s nice to see someone else on who understands it isnt about Republican or Democrat. Most all of them are awful and most likely corrupted by big corporate payoffs once in office. It is our job as constituents to pay attention to how our reps vote and support or deny the american people. Then come election day we vote out garbage no matter what their party.

  • theunemployed 07/21/2010 6:33pm
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    does anyone know if i qualify for the next teir please i ended my second tier june 19 2010 please help me….!

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    mom2304 07/21/2010 7:07pm
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    Hi I was asking the same question earlier. My understanding now is that Tier 3 should be available for all states but Tier 4 depends on the unemployment rate for your state and this extension should be retro back to whenever your benefits exhausted.

    Danie

  • kathyjo 07/21/2010 6:43pm
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    I am still confused and my UI office says I’ll have to wait and see if I get a letter,perhaps next WEEK, telling me IF I am still receiving benefits, if indeed, the bill gets to President Obama’s desk. I’m in Ky., and I’ve received 77 weeks of benefits. My last check was June 20th. I’m still sweating this out. Any info from anyone on here would surely be appreciated. I don’t even know what to tell the bill collectors. This is my only income and I have NO savings at all.
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    mom2304 07/21/2010 7:14pm
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    You should check the unemployment rate for your state and the extensions that apply. The UI office in my state was unhelpful too, its like the money is coming out of their paycheck.

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    artledoux 07/21/2010 7:45pm
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    Can you get any info on their web site?

  • mom2304 07/21/2010 6:51pm
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    Just wanted to say Thank You, Thank you to juju39567, jqpt777, Jonapoo4u and Shaw for the input and encouragement. I’m fixing to check out those sites ya’ll mentioned right now. God bless and best wishes!

    Danie

  • kathyjo 07/21/2010 7:27pm
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    Ky is one of the highest unemployment rates……. I can’t find out if the extensions aply. It confuses me….overload of info, but nothing helpful.

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    Abaratarrr 07/21/2010 7:32pm
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    ky is at 10.2% so they qualify for all 99 weeks, as long as your state has an agreement in place to receive extended benefots you should be fine you can find that on your states website search under state extended benefits.

    So as long as you did not voluntarily leave your last employer and you were eligible for the full 26 weeks of your states unemployment you should get all 99 weeks

  • kathyjo 07/21/2010 7:33pm
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    Ky is one of the highest unemployment rates……. I can’t find out if the extensions apply. It confuses me….overload of info, but nothing helpful out there, and I’m pretty resourceful at finding answers to most anything online.

  • theunemployed 07/21/2010 7:38pm
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    thanks for the help so that means i do qualify even though im after june 2? (june19)sorry for being a pain im just worried sick

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    Abaratarrr 07/21/2010 7:51pm
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    yes this bill extends the deadline to sign up for the existing tiers to late November

  • kathyjo 07/21/2010 7:49pm
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    Thank You…I hope that’s the case. Yes, I was laid off,with the hopes of returning…I was one of the higher salaried and my insurance was costing employer the most….he had to let someone go because of the economy, I was the natural choice. I qualify,as far as all the guidelines/rules go….but the lady at UI didn’t seem sure….maybe she just didn’t wantto say on the phone.They keep telling me to come to the office.It’s 30 miles away,and gas is a luxury.
  • kathyjo 07/21/2010 7:49pm
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    Thank You…I hope that’s the case. Yes, I was laid off,with the hopes of returning…I was one of the higher salaried and my insurance was costing employer the most….he had to let someone go because of the economy, I was the natural choice. I qualify,as far as all the guidelines/rules go….but the lady at UI didn’t seem sure….maybe she just didn’t wantto say on the phone.They keep telling me to come to the office.It’s 30 miles away,and gas is a luxury.
  • kathyjo 07/21/2010 7:56pm
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    Of course I go to the office when I have to turn in my job searches info….but I think it’s a bit much to make me go there to just get an ANSWER that could be told to me on the phone or email….especially if the answer is NO.
  • bunibuni1964 07/21/2010 7:59pm
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    This does nothing for those of us who have exhausted all of our tiers. What are we suppose to do? I live in California where the unemployment rate is 12.3%. So if we have exhausted all our tiers, there are no jobs, what are we suppose to do?

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    artledoux 07/21/2010 8:59pm
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    We should all move to Mexico!

  • Revolution 07/21/2010 8:19pm
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    VOTE HIM OUT!!! First chance to send a message to these idiots!
    Tom Coburn-Republican from Oklahoma is asking people on his Face Book page to change their profile picture in support of his primary election and vote on 7/27. Please stop by and remind him of how he voted on unemployment-he needs to be unemployed soon!

  • dlharris1189 07/22/2010 3:06am
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    So what about the 99ers?? Who’s gonna fight for them??

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    understanding 07/22/2010 3:55am
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    For the 99ers, I wonder if there is any pending bill (languishing??!!) that we could all rally around to cover you guys?

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    Abaratarrr 07/22/2010 9:02am
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    so for there is no bill, Tom coburn and sherrod brown are the only people in washington that i am aware of that support and are working towards a tier 5

  • Ktula7 07/22/2010 3:59am
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    I’m one of those that was at Tier 3 when my benefits were cut off. I am due for a back payment and then I qualify for the additional 20 weeks if I need them. But I will be here fighting for the 99ers. There are so many people out there criticizing the unemployed. I’ve read so many comments about people that are against the unemployment extensions (more than likely Republicans). We’ve been called lazy and had a proposed drug test suggested to receive our benefits. We have been physically and emotionally drained by our some senators that don’t want to help the American people. Don’t worry, I’ll be here fighting right along side all of you that still are feeling the same pain. And I will be there in November and always watching closely to see how I can prevent all the Senators that said no to be re-elected. United we stand, divided we fall!!

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    Abaratarrr 07/22/2010 9:01am
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    there will never be a teir 5 as long as the democrats believe that if they do nothing that the republicans will take the blame.

    This is not a democrat vs republican thing, if the democrats were on your side they would have proposed a tier 5

    The dems and republicans are on the same side we are on the other

  • widget02us 07/22/2010 5:17am
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    They don’t have any bills for the 99ers yet. We are still trying to get enough signatures on the petition.

    http://www.change.org/petitions/view/the_99ers_need_a_tier_v_added_to_unemployment_benefits

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    understanding 07/22/2010 5:27am
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    I will sign the petition.

    I did notice yesterday how dispassion the Republicans were about the unemployed. They skimmed over a slight mention to mostly talking about death taxes and whatnot. It is like we really do not exist to them.

  • dlharris1189 07/22/2010 6:01am
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    I totally agree…they act as if we should be grateful with them approving a piece of the rest…like we have to sacrifice the 99ers so at least someone can receive benefits…thats bull crap when we are the ones suffering from their mistakes! if they wouldnt have given our freakin money away overseas and to the big banks then it would be plenty of money to go around.


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