My mind says thank you Senator Graham

I voted to support this bill. Also, we need to get affordable healthcare for all those who need it. I’m waiting on that one. Have a temp job now with no healthcare benefits because of this turmoil.

Anybody have a link to any information regarding moving the extension deadlines past Dec,2009.

whats up with this bill, extending the decemebr 31, 2009 deadline for Tiers I and II are very important.

whats up with this bill, extending the decemebr 31, 2009 deadline for Tiers I and II are very important

Article Crowdsourcing Unemployment Benefits at Opencongress.org by Avelino Maestas

Open Congress is trying to have a Benefit Wiki Project where users can access info on State unemployment benefits and also add information.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/avelino-maestas/crowdsourcing-unemploymen_b_311759.html

I called Senator Reid’s office today and his staff person said that their should be a vote this week.
I also called Senate Finance Committee, Senator Baucus amended the bill to give 17 weeks to states at 8.5% or above but Senator Sheehan is also amending the bill to add an additional weeks for all states(4 more weeks?). Technically, the bill has moved out of committee but that they are waiting for unanimous consent to move the bill to the Senate floor for full votes. She says that potentially the full Senate vote could happen this week.

FYI
The White House is also negotiating with congress to see that an extension of unemployment benefits so that those who loose jobs up to Dec 31 would getfull expanded 79 weeks of benefits. Other additions to the bill, tax credits that would maintain health insurance by paying 65% of Cobra through tax credits, increasing food stamps … this will increase legislative discussion. So this may take more time… and also make passage more difficult. I hope this doesn’t stall the legislation further. The Senate was set to vote next week.
See article from Wall Street Journal
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125450104570559749.html

Yes. Keep the pressure on. I contacted both my senators and Harry Reid’s office. You can also go the U.S. Senate page and send e-mails to your senator’s and Harry Reid. Flood them with calls and e-mails.

Just called Senate Finace Committee and the bill is now with Harry Reid’s office, which may mean that after a few more changes it will go to vote. Senate is in recess today, so it won’t happen until next week. Keep the pressure on call Senator Reid’s office and your senators to urge swift passage.

All should be able to have an extension, true, but having exhausted all my benefits and the mom of two young girls (as many are in the same situation I’m sure), living in a state with a higher unemployment rate does realistically mean that for every job you apply to, you are competing with even more applicants. My state is at 9.1% at last report. I wish they could pass bill as is, and negotiate a seperate bill for states under 8.5%. All this back and forth is wasting time for those of us wondering will we still be without gas heat this winter. Senators should have been pushing for this to include all states way before this. What’s to figure out really Senators, stop looking at “projections” “advisors” “long-term outlooks” and look at reality: no job, no money, no home, more foreclosures, no bills being paid again, more people draining on public assistance for utilities, costing more than an extension in the end, that’s the real projection if they don’t pass this soon!

NELP has a press release today 10/1/09
re: s1647(S1699)
link: http://www.nelp.org/page/-/UI/PR.Senate.10.01.pdf?nocdn=1

Senator Baucus introduced legislation to extend jobless benefits to all states… 4 weeks more to workers in all states and those with high unemployment 8.5% or higher 13 more weeks, total 17 weeks. This is also paid for by extending an unemployment surtax on employers that has been there for past 30 yrs..

So we need to keep the pressure on and have them pass this quickly. Thank you Senator Baucus for understanding the plight of jobless Americans.

Senators sent letter 9/30 reHR 3548 feeling it left out 22 other states that did not meet the 8.5% requirement to senate finance committee news release shown on unemployment friends forum

link: http://unemployed-friends.forumotion.com/unemployment-news-f54/news-release-senators-letter-to-finance-committee-include-all-states-t333.htm

It will be good to include other states but this will likely delay passage so keep up those calls…

Please go to washington watch and vote for S1647. Right now site is showing 46% for and 54% against… please pass on we need to show that there is support for this bill and keep the pressure on. They do have staff check websites.

link http://www.washingtonwatch.com/bills/show/111_SN_1699.html

abc news is asking for unemployment stories
here is the link…

http://abcnews.go.com/Business/losing-unemployment-benefits/story?id=8724347

please share your story and keep the pressure on…

fyi info from unemployed friends forum

If it is good for one, it should be good for all. That is the latest rub.

http://unemployed-friends.forumotion.com/unemployment-news-f54/good-news-bad-news-t325.htm

Other numbers to call to urge them to prioritze passage of S1647 on Finance Committee:
Senator Lindsay Graham-Washington Office-(202) 224-5972; Pee Dee Regional Office-(843) 669-1505
Senator DeMint-Washington Office-(202) 224-6121; Charleston Office-(843) 727-4525
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid-Washington Office-(202) 224-3542
Senate Finance Chairman Max Baucus-Washington Office-(202) 224-4515( Senator Baucus is advocating making the extension 17 weeks). Call

I called the Senate Finance Committee to find out status. It will go to a vote soon maybe next week. Senator Baucus from has suggested an additional 4 weeks be added which would make it a 17 week extension. This would be great but it will then have to go to a vote in the house again for passage. President is at IOC so even if it passes this week it wouldn’t be signed until next week.

Please call your senators and Senate Finance Committee @ 202-224-4515. We need to keep the pressure on!!!! The more pressure will help send this from committee to a vote on the Senate floor.

check Washingtonwatch.com

So S1647 is still with the finance committee awaiting changes before it goes to the Senate for vote. The process could take up to a couple of weeks. So we all need to put pressure on our senators to urge passage of this bill.

Here is article link which has number to Harry Reid
’s Office
http://unemployed-friends.forumotion.com/unemployment-extensions-and-legislation-f3/updated-senate-to-take-up-next-hr-3548s-1699-s-1647-please-contact-leaders-update-send-fax-to-them-for-free-t149.htm

Uhm, ok, still learning this process…. H.R.3548 was passed by House on 9/22. S.1647 is the Senate’s version? There is no joint resolution? It (S.1647) is in the senate finance committee? Then both bills have to pass (with the Pres. sign-off) for it to become law and the funds released. Both bills? Even then each state has to decide if they are then going to accept the funds? (My governor threatened to boycott the last unemplyment increase – he and every member of his family) has a job and copious financial resources, the a**)

If the S.1647 stalls in committee, then it doesn’t matter that H.R.3548 passed? I poor head is desperately trying to come up with a possible timeline. (Yes, everyone in family unemployed at the moment and we are scared to death.) Can someone put this process into a simple approximated timeline?

Thanks to all and I wish each and everyone better circumstance than ours…

Here is link to s1699.

http://reed.senate.gov/newsroom/details.cfm?id=318186

link on right side to email your senators…….

On WASHINGTONWATCH.com

S. 1699, A bill to amend the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2008 to provide for the temporary availability of certain additional emergency unemployment compensation, and for other purposes

1699?

Go to Washingtonwatch.com look up s1699 and on the right under “take action” you can email your state senators…..

Just emailed my senator…..go for it everyone…….

In the words of Todd Beamer “Let’s Roll”!!!!!! come on guys…..

is it a safe bet now to start checking out this bill/thread now since it appears that hr 3548 is now being switched over and updated now back to this bill according to today’s recent news ?

http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?parm1=5&docID=cqmidday-000003204963……If you go to this site it says the congress will be bringing up this bill next week for the states hit hardest, i think its any state over 8.5 percent of a 3 month average.

The numbers for new york came out on a 3 month avg we are now at 8.76 from 8.5. The unemployed desperatly need this extension fast! There are no jobs, none! For every job available 6 people are fighting for the same job. I heard congress is off again for the month of October so they better get moving on passing another extension. Some say the economy is starting to get better, but i dont see it with the unemployment continually rising. Winter is coming and with our other bills we will now have a heat bill to contend with. Please get this bill fast tracked!