http://www.opencongress.org/bill/111-h3404/show

I don’t consider help for unemployed people “pork”. Pork is things like tax breaks for the movie industry to buy film and money allocated for buying wooden arrows for children. That was obviously helping someone’s friend whose company makes wooden arrows. Helping taxpayers survive and pay for food and housing is most definitely not pork.

HR 3404 ,for the extension of unemployment benefits, is now available on Open Congress

Also, for anybody who has the problem I had. This new site doesn’t seem to work with Explorer 7. The “Post Comment” button doesn’t appear so you can type your message but then you have no way to post it. I updated to Explorer 8 and now it works.

I think the new bill should be a straight 13 weeks for all states. Just because a state’s rate is going up slower doesn’t mean the long term unemployed are suddenly getting jobs. It just means they are laying off people at a slower rate. Also, if they can give multibillions to the auto industry and the banks, they can certainly help the unemployed, too. Didn’t they just allocate another 2 bil to the Cash for Clunkers?

I haven’t been able to find any mention of this bill anywhere among the networks, just stuff about the clunker bill & health.

Problem with email lists is that almost all House members now have limited their electronic input to web forms, calls, and sometimes faxes. So email is not always of use. There are a number of sites on the net that can send out multiple emails to your House and Senators by plugging in your zip code, as I’m sure you know.

You might be able to find email addresses for committees or their staff to make a list; I haven’t checked that. Actually, we probably won’t have much opposition in the House Ways and Means Committee, since Charlie Rangel is chairman and also a co-sponsor of the bill. It’s other committees maybe, and the Senate that might glom it all up.

Anyone have an email distribution list created already for House reps?

I have been doing much thinking lately about if it is still worth it to try to deal with all the mounting problems we have now. I know I have to for some reason. I know that many are far worse off than I am, and many do not even have the opportunity to be heard in places like this.

Here is one more video that may help some out there.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KohD6EtWdfo&feature=channel

Stay strong!

Good night.

Hey OC guys, I know you put a lot of work into the new site, and I have not had to chance to really check it out yet, it looks good, but those stars………

Yeah, OC would just love that :)

Who the heck came up with those stars anyways?

Hi Patriots, I also hate those stars. They could at least make them smaller or something! Maybe we could start a campaign against those stars. :)

And those damn spinning stars are making me dizzy again :)

It’s been another (among many) rough day here in Ct. A brief scan of the conversation here says that there is a new bill to fight for. I don’t have the energy to get too involved with that anymore. Even the fight for Ct. drained me more than I planned on. What to do now? I’m not really sure.

Here are a few videos that helped me recharge a little today. Maybe some a little esoteric…..but……

THE MOST PROFOUND QUESTION

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGxZngLecK0

A Lesson in Fortitude

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7vPnOwla4Q

Hero

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLC73DB7jE8

Have a good weekend everyone.

we need to march to washington and send all those criminals in government home with no benefits

If anyone doesn’t want to wait for OC to post Jim McDermott’s bill, he has posted the PDF on his website:
http://www.house.gov/mcdermott/July%2030%202009%20ui%20extension%20bill.pdf

It’s only 9 pages, and remember it’s not a final bill. But if it survives somewhat intact, you all might note that there’s a provision, if I understand it correctly, that specifically states that payments will be made only for weeks of unemployment that occur after the bill becomes law. So anyone thinking there will be retroactive payments should probably not expect that, unless the bill is changed. And that also makes the bill all the more urgent in some ways.

Checking further, House Transportation and Infrastructure has a Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management. I don’t know if this is the reason for the bill going to the larger committee, but it would seem that 1.5 million or so citizens in danger of foreclosure, homelessness, no heat in the winter, no money for medicine, etc., etc., all at once this fall would have to be seen as an emergency.

“why would house trans and infrastructure be included?”

That’s a really good question—don’t know, maybe it’s just some kind of formality? If I find out I’ll post, anybody else know?

Hi Nancy,

I know that Sen. Debbie Stabenow of MI is working on the senate bill per the Detroit News. I sent her an email today. She is from my state.

I also saw those committees listed. Just curious, why would house trans and infrastructure be included?

I understand the pork issue too. And your points above are good.

BTW, Displaced2007 – I like the cat too :)

P.S. And ESPECIALLY call your reps if they are on either of those two committees!

I gave some feedback to OC about how I hate the graphics (oh, those stars!) and some of the layout for this new site, and reported a bad link I found, but complimented them on some of the great new features they have, and hey, it’s free, so I can’t complain too much. And they’ve certainly been a huge help to us all.

Don’t know how many of you noticed, but you can input your +4 zipcode in your profile now and it automatically will link you to the Congressman for your House district. Pretty handy.

And if anyone new is reading this, note that for upcoming phone campaign resources you can save all kinds of stuff in “My Political Notebook” in your profile, so the info doesn’t have to be repeated over and over in the comments section. (This feature is not new.)

House Ways and Means
House Transportation and Infrastructure

These are the two committees that HR 3404 is sitting in. That means that besides calling our reps now and later during their recess in their home states, we can also call and bug the committees and committee staff (who stay during recess if I’m not mistaken) to push the bill.

And does anyone know of anyone in the Senate who is coming up with a companion bill?

Nice cat, BTW.

This will probably happen anyway (states trying to add theirs), but unfortunately you’re probably right. The states that seem to me to be in the saddest shape as far as no help at all for long term are Maryland and West Virginia, where the individuals with no jobs haven’t even had the TUR to help out. Maryland is at 7.1 and WV is at 8.4. Most of the remaining states either have relatively low unemployment compared to the rest of the country, or else have had at least some extensions with either IUR or TUR.

Connecticut is the odd duck at 7.9, hovering over the rest of its TUR extension. But if things continue at this rate, it’s quite possible that not only would their extra 7 weeks kick in (although late), but before the proposed extension program of 13 weeks is up, they MIGHT even make eligibility for that by hitting 9%.

BTW, I got these figures from the new doleta new rates that just came out for Aug 2.

Is this staffing agency in living in the 2oth century? They are incapable of using email???

Whining to the reps that they should include states with a lower UI rate is called “adding pork”, when you add pork then more people debate they don’t like the pork\changes, then the bill is a source of debate and long delays, meanwhile those states with 9% or higher UI rates roll off EB.

Its my belief we should support the bill as it was introduced, it targets the states that need the most help, which is the focus of EB.

bl5, I haven’t been able to locate where I read what I told you yet

I’m happy for the states that will be recognized. But what is wrong with MD? No jobs are being made available, no matter what is being shown, and for someone my age, there is nothing promising. I have tried repeatedly to contact the representatives, supplying email messages, as well, but nothing is being mentioned for the unemployed. Lord, we need help!

MIbumer ~ Spherion Staffing. I feel like they are holding me over a barrel and I am afraid to say anything. I will get out my handbook and double check the information you stated. Thanks! Sometimes I wish I never went to a staffing agency. They have me on pins and needles! I do want the position that may last 3 months. I will see how it goes Monday.

From CA: 7/31/09

new 13 wks extension:

HR3404, introduced today, will move the deadline for EUC and EB benefits through 2010, and include a 13 week EUC extension for those in states with a 3 month unemployment average of 9%.

States that now meet the required trigger for additional weeks of benefits include AL, CA, DC, FL, GA, IL, IN, KY, MI, MS, NV, NC, OH, OR, PA, PR, RI, SC, TN, WA, & WI. Additionally, a number of other States are within one percentage point of this standard and may meet it within the coming months, including AK, AZ, DE, ME, MA, MO, NJ, NY & WV. States with lower unemployment rates may still trigger additional weeks under the current EUC and EB programs if unemployment rates rise.

This bill is suppose to get fast tracked when congress comes back from recess in Sept.

http://www.house.gov/mcdermott/pr090730.shtml

Thank God!