URGENT: Unemployment Benefits About to Run out for Millions of People
There are 5 job-seekers for every available opening. If every single available job in the country were filled tomorrow, there would STILL be 10 million people looking for work.
The unemployment rate hasn’t changed – so why do conservative members of Congress want to change the rules for who can receive unemployment benefits?
Last Thursday, the House of Representatives voted down a measure which would have reauthorized extended unemployment insurance. If Congress does not act by November 30th, 800,000 people will immediately lose this crucial lifeline. 2 million people will lose their unemployment insurance by the end of the year, and another 1 million in January 2011.
The long-term unemployed, people who’ve been out of work for more than 26 weeks (about 6.5 months) make up 42% of all jobless workers. They need this crucial lifeline to help keep a roof over their heads and food on the table.
Congress is about to go home for Thanksgiving without extending benefits for the long-term unemployed, and conservative leaders have vowed to put their energy for the few remaining weeks of this Congressional session into extending the Bush tax cuts to the wealthiest 2%. These priorities are outrageously out-of-touch with the values of most Americans.
Please take action today.
- Send your Representative and Senators a message online.
- Call both your Senators toll free at 877-662-2889. Tell them something like this:
“Unemployment is still at record levels, and emergency benefits for workers who have been unemployed for more than 26 weeks are scheduled to expire November 30th. I urge you to renew them immediately. We need help for the unemployed, not tax cuts for the rich!”
