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NIAGRA FALLS, NY - At a press conference in Niagara Falls, NY, Kansas Labor Secretary Jim Garner today stood with his counterparts from regions across the country to advocate for an extension of Unemployment Insurance. Current estimates indicate that more than 400,000 individuals nationwide are slated to exhaust their benefits by the end of September and more than one million Americans will exhaust by the end of the year. In Kansas, just more than 3,000 individuals are expected to exhaust all available benefits within two months. On Sept. 15, Governor Mark Parkinson joined with Governors from 22 states in writing to House and Senate leadership to urge quick passage of legislation to extend several critical unemployment insurance provisions. Heeding the call of the Governors, on Sept. 22, the U.S. House of Representatives voted unanimously to extend Unemployment Insurance for an additional 13 weeks for states with unemployment rates at or above 8.5 percent. It is currently unknown when the U.S. Senate will take up its own version of the bill. Since the beginning of the recession in December 2007, the number of people Kansas is paying unemployment benefits to has skyrocketed, from 21,670 to more than 100,000. Labor agency heads from Oregon, Montana, Wisconsin, Iowa, Arizona, Pennsylvania, New York, Maine and Washington, who joined Secretary Garner at the event, all have seen similar trends in their respective states. Kansas’ current unemployment rate is 7.1 percent, not high enough to qualify for the additional extended benefits outlined in the House bill. At today’s event, Secretary Garner encouraged the U.S. Senate to eliminate the 8.5 percent unemployment rate threshold. "Action taken by the House this week is a step in the right direction, but I would urge the Senate to consider expanding benefits in states that have not yet reached the 8.5 percent unemployment threshold," Garner said. "In Kansas, where the unemployment rate is 7.1 percent, we’re paying unemployment benefits to more than 100,000 people, many who will exhaust all available benefits within two months. Thousands of Kansas families will be at risk without a further extension of benefits." New York State Labor Commissioner M. Patricia Smith said, "Separately, we come from different states, political parties and regional economies. Together, we are united to fight for a common purpose – to ask the U.S. Senate to extend Unemployment Insurance for more than 300,000 Americans set to exhaust their benefits by the end of September, including thousands across New York State. Time has never been more of the essence than right now." Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry Secretary Sandi Vito said, "Unemployed Americans are struggling to provide their families with the most basic of needs as they try to re-enter the workforce. From the state of Washington to Washington, D.C., the effects of the national recession are being felt. That is why we must ensure that our unemployed neighbors have the resources they need to put food on their tables and make it through these tough times. The extension of unemployment compensation benefits is key to the financial recovery of our citizens and our economy." Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development Secretary Roberta Gassman said, "Our unemployed workers and their families are struggling to survive. We are united in our call for action: Congress must provide relief for those who are running out of unemployment benefits." Washington State Department of Labor and Industries Commissioner Karen Turner Lee said, "We all hope that the recession is indeed lifting, but it will be many months before the employment engine catches up. Meanwhile unemployed Americans still need to feed their families. As the Senate debates whether or not to further extend unemployment benefits it is important to remember that our unemployment insurance system exists precisely for times like these." At the National Association of State Workforce Agencies (NASWA) conference, also taking place in Niagara Falls this week, the agency heads passed a resolution urging the Congress to extend the Emergency Unemployment Compensation Program to December 31, 2010. This provision is most critical for those losing their jobs now, who will not qualify for any extension period without additional federal legislation. In addition, the NASWA resolution asks Congress to:
Kansas Department of Labor News Room Kansas Department of Labor News Room Archive
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