Tell Congress: Renew Federal Unemployment Insurance for 2012 Now!

[Dulcinea]

Unless Congress acts swiftly, federal unemployment insurance programs will expire December 31, cutting off benefits to nearly 2 million jobless Americans in January alone, with more than 6 million cut off during the coming year. That would be devastating for millions of struggling job-seekers and their families, and a major negative shock to the economy as well. Economists estimate that if unemployment insurance is allowed to expire, the nation will lose another half a million jobs.

Federal unemployment insurance has helped more than 17 million Americans in the past three years. And recent Census data show that federal unemployment insurance benefits helped keep more than 3 million Americans from falling into poverty in 2010 alone. Congress has never cut back on extensions of unemployment insurance when the jobless rate has been anywhere near this high for so long. It would be unconscionable for them to do so now.

Send a Message to Congressional Leaders and to your Members of Congress. Tell them they must act now to renew federal unemployment insurance through 2012, and take additional steps to help avert layoffs, create good jobs, end discriminatory job market practices that exclude the unemployed, and get real help to long-term unemployed workers including those who have exhausted unemployment benefits.

http://www.nelp.org/page/speakout/renew-unemployment-insurance-2012