The Governator joins the call to extend unemployment benefits
Last week California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger joined the call for Congress to pass HR 4934, which would extend unemployment (UI) benefits for people who've been out of work for more than six months. Earlier in April New York Governor David Paterson wrote to Congress urging passage of the bill.
In his letter Schwarzenneger points out
Federal funding for unemployment insurance administration has not been adjusted for inflation since 1995. For the last three years alone, the federal funding shortfall to states is approaching $1 billion. For fiscal year 2008, the national UI administrative funding appropriation has been reduced by an estimated $110 million. Roughly $30 million would have come to serve unemployed workers in California.
You can read the full text of the governor's letter and press release here.
The National Employment Law Project has calculated that every dollar of unemployment benefits paid out boosts the economy by $2.15.
For more on unemployment insurance and the emergency extension, click here.
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