Bishop Supports Unemployment Benefits Extension

Washington, DC – Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-2) announced today that the House of Representatives passed by a vote of 271 to 153 H.R. 5618, the Restoration of Emergency Unemployment Compensation Act, which extends through November 30, 2010 unemployment benefits to 1.7 million Americans, including 75,100 residents of the State of Georgia, who would have lost these benefits on July 3, 2010. Congressman Bishop supported the legislation.

“As the economy recovers, millions of Americans are still struggling to find meaningful employment,” said Congressman Bishop. “The unemployed will not be enjoying the Fourth of July weekend if they will not be receiving their unemployment benefits. I am pleased that the House of Representatives has passed this much needed extension, and I urge the U.S. Senate to take quick action.”

The Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) Program began to phase out at the end of May. As a result, individuals exhausting their 26 weeks of regular unemployment benefits over the last month, or exhausting any of the tiers of Federal EUC benefits during this time, are not eligible for emergency unemployment benefits.

The legislation passed today retroactively restores those benefits and continues the EUC program through November. In addition, the legislation restores full Federal funding for the permanent-law Extended Benefits program through November.

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