Cleaver: Refusal to extend unemployment benefits savaging families, costing economy

In his latest EC from DC report, Fifth District Congressman Emanuel Cleaver writes about the Republicans' refusal to extend unemployment benefits.

Thousands of people in Missouri’s Fifth District are facing critical struggles in the wake of the December 28th expiration of the emergency unemployment insurance. The number of those impacted is growing every week. But these are not numbers, these are our neighbors. These are hardworking people, who have played by the rules, and found themselves out of work through no fault of their own. The inaction of Congress has cut off their economic lifeline as they try to feed their families, pay the rent, and search for work. I continue to work with my colleagues to try to get House Republican Leadership to allow us to vote on extending this insurance. So far, that has not happened.

• 1.4 million Americans have now lost emergency unemployment insurance.
  
• 72,000 more will lose it each week.
  
• Earlier this month, the lapse in unemployment coverage sucked $400 million out of state economies in a single week.
  
• Unemployment benefits help grow the economy, delivering $1.52 in economic activity for every $1 spent.
  
• These benefits have been extended many times in a bipartisan manner and were first put into place by President George W. Bush.

This is savaging families and costing the economy. I want to hear your story. If your emergency unemployment insurance has expired, please let me know what you are doing, how it is impacting your family, and your experiences in searching for work. I would like to share these stories with the media to bring attention to the importance of unemployement insurance in our community, and with colleagues on Capitol Hill, who believe extending these benefits aren’t necessary. 

I would like to follow up with you, hence the request for name, number, and email address. If you don’t want to include that in your response, please feel free to omit that information while still sharing your thoughts and experiences.