On June 11, 2011, an estimated 45,000 unemployed workers in Pennsylvania will be cut-off of the Extended Benefits they’ve been receiving — unless the legislature acts. Pennsylvania’s Department of Labor and Industry estimates that a total of 135,000 jobless workers could lose eligibility for these benefits this year starting on June 11th.
The federal government now covers 100% of the cost of these benefits for non-government employees. All the state needs to do to continue receiving these federally-funded benefits is to enact a technical fix to the state unemployment insurance law. Senate Bill 994 would do just that.
Republicans and Democrats in every one of Pennsylvania’s neighboring states—Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, West Virginia and Maryland—have all recently passed the needed Extended Benefits legislation. In total, 24 states have already acted to allow individuals to continue these benefits.
Thanks to federally-funded Extended Benefits, more than $1.5 billion additional dollars flowed into Pennsylvania since the recession started — benefiting unemployed workers and businesses alike. 200,000 of us, our friends, family members, and neighbors have counted on these benefits to put food on the table and a roof over their heads.
This small legislative change, with no cost to Pennsylvania, is the only thing that stands in the way of unemployed workers being able to secure the benefits they, and the local economy, so desperately need, and that the federal government is underwriting.
It’s time for Pennsylvania lawmakers to act.
Please send a message to Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett now!
Click on “Participate” to send Governor Corbett a message: Don’t Cut-off Pennsylvania’s Unemployed Workers! Support passage of SB 994 to Continue Extended Benefits!
Also, please call Governor Corbett with that message:
Gov. Corbett: 717-787-2500
Pennsylvania House Republican leaders plan to unveil a budget plan next week that will cut $500 million or more in health and human services funding to restore a portion of the proposed cuts to public schools and colleges.
ReplyDeleteAccording to a report from Capitolwire.com, the House GOP budget will spend no more than $27.3 billion — the amount proposed by Governor Corbett in March.
House Appropriations Committee Chairman Bill Adolph said the House GOP budget will not rely on any of the $506 million-and-growing revenue surplus for the current fiscal year. Senate Republican leaders have said if revenues are higher than projected they would consider a higher spending total.
Capitolwire reports that House leaders plan to schedule a vote on the bill before Memorial Day to allow for budget negotiations with the Governor and the Senate to take place in June.
The Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center will have a full analysis of the House Republican budget bill after it is made public next week.