Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) released the statement below regarding today’s procedural vote in the Senate on legislation to extend emergency unemployment benefits for three months:
“Today’s procedural vote brought us one step closer to extending emergency unemployment benefits for struggling Americans. Even with the worst of the recession behind us, too many Rhode Islanders have been unable to find work. Emergency unemployment benefits help families stay in their homes and put food on the table while they search for jobs, and we should make sure these benefits remain available for those who need them. I thank Senator Reed for leading the fight on this issue, and I hope the Senate will soon act to pass this important bill.”
The Senate will now continue to debate the three-month extension, with a final vote likely to come in the days ahead.
On December 28, federal emergency unemployment benefits expired for approximately 4,900 people in Rhode Island and 1.3 million people nationally. Over the coming months, an additional 8,900 Rhode Islanders will not be eligible to receive extended weeks of unemployment benefits as their regular unemployment benefits expire if an extension is not signed into law.
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