Smith Introduces Bill to Extend Unemployment Benefits
Legislation Increases Benefits for Jobless, Provides Funding to States
WASHINGTON, D.C.– Senator Gordon Smith yesterday introduced legislation providing an additional thirteen weeks of unemployment benefits to out-of-work Oregonians. Oregon has had one of the highest unemployment rates in the country for the past year.
"The U.S. is in the midst of another jobless recovery and Oregon has borne the brunt of it," said Smith. "We cannot allow out-of-work Oregonians to be left out on a limb while this economy continues to struggle. This bill extends the helping hand of unemployment benefits a little longer so that Oregonians will have more time to find a good job at a livable wage."
The Economic Security Act of 2003 will revise and extend the Temporary Extended Unemployment Compensation program by providing an additional 13 weeks of temporary extended benefits for workers who have run out of their state and federal benefits and a total of up to 26 weeks of benefits for workers who run out of their state benefits. In addition, it expands access to
unemployment benefits for workers who have lost low-wage and/or part-time employment.
Unemployment insurance programs are operated by the states but funded by the federal
government. State unemployment insurance administrators often fall short of the funds they need to administer benefit checks and ensure those eligible receive their benefits. This bill provides $500 million for administrative funding to ensure that states can administer the temporary benefits. The bill also ensures that part-time and low-wage workers are eligible for benefits and raises benefit levels by fifteen percent or $25 a week, whichever is higher.
In October of 2001, Smith introduced the Temporary Emergency Unemployment Compensation Act of 2001, which was signed into law in February 2002. In addition, Smith introduced the Economic Security Act of 2002 last September which included provisions similar to the bill introduced yesterday.
