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Revision as of 20:13, October 12, 2009

The Benefit Wiki project on the OpenCongress wiki tracks information on unemployment benefits, including regular unemployment compensation, the federal Emergency Unemployment Compensation program and the Extended Benefits Program. Benefit Wiki is a free, open-source, fully-referenced, and non-partisan public resource.
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Latest news on bill progress

Latest news, the week of October 4th:

10/9/09 midnight Fri. -

I guess I like Chinese puzzles. Since the amendments for HR 3548 that were proposed on Thursday can't officially be added to the bill until approved (hopefully Tuesday), we have access only to some rather convoluted language about how this amendment would amend this bill, which is in itself an amendment to the original EUC bill!

And a rather puzzling part was the section that still had "13 weeks" included, even though we all heard "14 weeks" on the news. So I made this homemade attempt to actually take the amended sections and insert them into House bill 3548 to see if it made any more sense, and even though it's STILL incredibly convoluted language, it does somehow make sense now, if in a bizarre way. If you also like Chinese puzzles, you can read my construction and notes here:

http://www.opencongress.org/wiki/User_talk:Nancym

If you'd like to just read the text of the amendment without the original HR 3548, you can go here:

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/C?r111:./temp/~r111LMqmXQ

(If this last link fails, go to Thomas and search for S.AMDT.2668. http://thomas.loc.gov/bss/d111query.html)

SUMMARY: This was posted by NoGoodOnesLeft (NGOL) recently. It's a good shorthand version of what to expect if this amendment SA2668 and bill HR3548 pass as now written:

NEW TIERS OF EUC:
Tier 2 - 14 weeks for everyone.
Tier 3 - 13 weeks for at or over 6.5% 3 month average.
Tier 4 - 6 weeks for at or over 8.5% 3 month average.

They added Limitation rules so if your state already got Tier 2 - you will get the one extra week from the new Tier 2 and then will trigger on to Tier 3 for 13 weeks and if your state is at or over 8.5% average, then trigger on to Tier 4 for 6 more weeks.

If your state hasn't got the old Tier 2 of 13 weeks yet - you will get the 14 weeks and if your state goes to or over 6.5% average you will trigger on to Tier 3 for 13 more weeks and then if your state goes to or over 8.5% average trigger on to Tier 4 for 6 more weeks.

Bottom line for individuals who have exhausted their benefits in a state under 8.5%: 14 weeks

Bottom line for individuals who have exhausted their benefits in a state over 8.5%: 14 weeks + 6 weeks

10/8/09 11:30 PM, Thurs. -

This afternoon Senators Baucus, Reid, Shaheen, and Reed (RI) tried to pass a bill by unanimous consent in the Senate, but the bill was held up by objection from Sen Kyl of Arizona, who wanted more time to read the bill and get a CBO report on it. The new bill, a revision of HR 3548, would give 14 weeks extended benefits to all those running out of benefits in all states, and an additional 6 weeks (total 20 additional) to those in states with unemployment rates of 8.5 and above. This hold will take the bill into next week, hopefully Tuesday, but we don't know for sure when the vote will be, or if any new amendments might be attached to it.  www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33230509/ns/politics-capitol_hill/

10/5/09 11:00 PM, Mon. -

NELP gave us a clarification of the process for this bill (after some time trying to get info from phone or online sources). The new bill's text (Reid-Baucus version) is here:http://www.nelp.org/page/-/unemployedworkers/Bill%20text.pdf  This is a link off their latest news item on unemployedworkers.org

NOTICE that the bill we are now talking about is NOT S. 1699, but rather it is introduced as a "substitute for HR 3548," which may explain why we have been having such a hard time tracking 1699 online!

So the number to watch is 3548, the substitute for it in the Senate, or the Reid-Baucus unemployment bill.  But don't bother to look further for S.1699, though it is a little unclear if this version is completely dead, since Sen. Jack Reed spoke briefly about passing a bill on the floor today, not certain if he was still pushing his bill (only 13 weeks for those over 8.5% and nothing for the lower rate states) or the new Reid-Baucus amendment to 3548, which would give 17 weeks for over 8.5% and 4 weeks for the lower rate states. Sen. Shaheen continues to push for more weeks for the lower rate states. Passage of something is likely this week, but we don't know exactly when or if it will be amended again.

News Archive

Select a state to see information for your area

Citizen actions

1. Call, email, fax, twitter, mail all governors, Senators and the President.
   1. http://www.nelp.org/page/speakout/FedBensNow
   2. http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/
2. Write letters to local newspaper regarding the need for unemployment support.
3. Possible ideas if Senators and the President refuses to listen to us such as one term limit, etc.

Survival links (please see individual states for local info)

• Worried about your electricity being cut off? Check what protections you might have in the LIHEAP Clearinghouse, a state-by-state guide to disconnection policies: liheap.ncat.org/Disconnect/disconnect.htm
  

Here's what you can find on Benefit Wiki

• Information on regular unemployment benefits on a state-by-state basis
• Information on other available benefits and programs to help the unemployed get through this recession
• Tier 1 and Tier 2 Emergency Unemployment
• Updates on the latest legislation in Congress to extend or expand unemployment benefits

Find out how to participate or contact us at the Benefit Wiki community portal.

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