Unemployed Iowa Workers Get Hit Again

Republicans in the U.S. Senate have joined Chuck Grassley in voting against extended unemployment insurance benefits--a temporary measure provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).

Cruel and short-sighted

Without those provisions on unemployment insurance:

• Nearly 44,000 Iowans will see an immediate reduction in unemployment insurance benefits.
• Of those, 6,700 will lose all benefits because they will have exhausted state or federal unemployment insurance benefits.
• About 1,500 to 2,000 Iowans will begin losing all benefits each week.

Charles Bruner of the Child & Family Policy Center says that this “is no time to be pulling back from our commitment to economic recovery. Without an extension, thousands of unemployed workers in Iowa won't be continuing to receive help in meeting their needs in this recession. When they can meet their needs, they purchase basic goods and services that also contribute to the local economy. Short-term spending on recovery is not the problem. Return to recession poses a greater risk."

Republicans always threaten a filibuster over labor issues and the Democrats in control never call their bluff. Maybe it’s time for Americans to see Grassley and others speaking all night on why unemployed workers don’t deserve help.