After more than a month without federal assistance, the almost 20,000 unemployed residents in Santa Barbara County and 13,700 unemployed residents of San Luis Obispo County can expect to qualify
for extended unemployment insurance payments.
On July 20, U.S. Senate Democrats mustered the 60 votes they needed to end debate on the bill, which includes provisions on tax credits for energy efficiency and tax relief for small businesses. It next needed a simple majority vote for passage in both houses before it could proceed to the president’s desk and become law.
Under normal circumstances, anyone who has worked for six months can collect a government check for 26 weeks, provided he or she is searching for new work. Due to the extreme recession, Congress passed a bill in 2008 that extended those benefits for an additional 73 weeks, but that extension expired last month, leaving long-term unemployed workers without support. In the last four months, hundreds of Central Coast residents exhausted all 99 weeks of unemployment benefits and won’t be eligible for more.
In a release to the media, Sen. Barbara Boxer said, “I am very concerned that too many unemployed Californians are being denied unemployment benefits as they try to get jobs in a difficult economy. I strongly support extending unemployment benefits, which economists say help stimulate our local economies because they are immediately spent in our communities.”
Boxer voted for the extension three times.
Most Republicans opposed the extension, which is unfunded and will cost $38.9 billion, according to the Congressional Budget Office. Through his press office, Rep. Kevin McCarthy said, “The American people need jobs and need them now, not more borrowing for unfunded programs that do not directly address the fundamental issue of long-term job creation. Anything that falls short of the goal of creating long-term employment for Americans is not good enough.” McCarthy said Republicans supported a plan that would extend the same benefits while covering the cost with unused stimulus funds.
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This article appears in Jul 29 – Aug 5, 2010.