In an effort to help some 1.3 million unemployed Americans tread water in these difficult times, Democrats returned to Washington this week armed with stories from unemployed Americans in their home states who were dropped from the federal unemployment benefit rolls on December 28, 2013. Congress neglected to extend the benefits leaving the 1.3 million out in the cold.
Both chambers remain deadlocked on the issue to date.
“Unconscionably and irresponsibly, Congress continues to sit on its hands, adjourning for recess without leading on this issue,” said U.S. Labor Secretary Thomas Perez in an op-ed. “A minority of U.S. Senators continues to block any extension, while the majority leadership of the House of Representatives won’t even bring it up for a vote. The president has said that extending Emergency Unemployment Compensation should be the nation’s first order of business for 2014. To ease hardship and provide some relief, Congress must act immediately.”
Take action now by sending your Senators and Representative a letter telling them to extend federal unemployment benefits today. Click here.
Also, click here for an IAM flyer telling Congress: Don’t desert unemployed Americans.
Structural unemployment rounded out the top three “trends facing the world in 2014,” says a survey taken by more than 2,000 participants at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland.
Not surprisingly, income disparities came in at No. 2 on the list. Both issues were deemed more important than climate change and cybersecurity, No. 4 and No. 5. Rising social tensions in the Middle East and Africa claimed the top spot.
