Pelosi Statement on GOP Plan to End Extended Unemployment Benefits

Contact: Nadeam Elshami/Drew Hammill, 202-226-7616
Washington, D.C. – Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi released the following statement today after Republicans on the House Ways and Means Committee marked up a bill to end this year’s federal guarantee for extended unemployment benefits and changing the deal they voted on last December when tax cuts for the richest Americans were extended. They now want to terminate that deal for the most vulnerable – the unemployed – while insisting on no tax increases for the wealthy. This legislation would threaten unemployment insurance benefits for 4.1 million out-of-work Americans:

“The Republican majority is ignoring Americans’ top priority – creating jobs – but are voting to end Medicare as we know it and supporting bills that weaken the middle class. In fact, today’s bill could destroy as many as 300,000 jobs over the next year and undermine our economy.

“While protecting tax breaks for Big Oil and millionaires, Republicans are threatening to cut off a lifeline to millions of middle class Americans who lost their jobs through no fault of their own. For our economy, every dollar invested in unemployment insurance yields a return of $1.60 in economic growth.

“Republicans must abandon their assault on seniors and America’s families, and join Democrats to create jobs, responsibly reduce the deficit, strengthen the middle class, and grow the economy.”