HR 2, Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act

January 14, 2009

Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support for the CHIP reauthorization legislation and thank Speaker Pelosi for her leadership in bringing this bill to the floor. HR 2 clearly says that change has arrived for our country and our children.

Instead of the veto pen that was used last year by the outgoing president to deny health care to children, our new president will sign this legislation and in so doing begin to write a new chapter in America’s commitment to our children and our future.

HR 2 is a real down payment on our efforts to ensure universal access to affordable health care for all Americans. It builds on successful models that have expanded access to millions of children nation wide. Health care should be a right not a privilege for the rich in America.

This legislation affirms the commitment of a new Congress to serve all the people, not merely those of means who can pay any price for health care while the nation pays a steep price by not covering children.

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Rep. McDermott Introduces Unemployment Insurance Reform and Stimulus Initiative

January 8, 2009

“Today, millions of hard-working Americans who lost their job during this economic crisis face a second crisis when they try to obtain their unemployment insurance compensation and discover that they do not qualify because the system that was created in the economic reality of 1935 is unable to match the needs of the labor market of the 21^st century,” Rep. McDermott said.

McDermott explained that 1935’s America relied largely on full-time, male workers, yet America’s 21^st Century economy relies upon millions of part-time workers, which are disproportionately women.

McDermott said: “Low-wage and part-time workers often fall through the cracks of the UI system, and the impact is particularly hard on families that rely on the income of a low-wage worker or a mother’s part-time job.  Low-wage and part-time workers, who contribute to the unemployment insurance system, are a larger portion of the workforce than they used to be, yet they are half as likely to qualify for unemployment benefits as other workers.”

The Unemployment Insurance Modernization Act would make $7 billion available from the federal Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund to state governments in exchange for modest reforms to their unemployment insurance programs.  These reforms would enable more low-wage and part-time workers to qualify for the unemployment insurance compensation they earned.  The unemployment insurance program is a joint, federal-state program that is administered by state governments.

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Rep. McDermott Leads House Congressional Action on India Resolution

Co-Chair of India Caucus Pledges Strong U.S. Support for India

December 11, 2008

At the urging of Rep. Jim McDermott (D-WA), co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans, and other House leaders, the U.S. House of Representatives last night passed a resolution condemning the recent attacks in Mumbai.

The House passed H. Res. 1532 by unanimous consent and Rep. McDermott said the vote demonstrated America’s strong and unwavering support for India, especially in this time of crisis:  “We spoke with one voice, as one Democratic nation to another Democratic nation, making clear our support for India and our condemnation of this unprovoked attack,” Rep. McDermott said.  “I said at the time and I say again, today we are all Indian, and we stand by your side just as you stood by America on 9/11.”  

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Staggering Job Losses Highlight Need For Improvements to Unemployment Insurance

House Legislation would modernize UI system

December 5, 2008

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Bureau of Labor Statistics announced today that the U.S. economy lost 533,000 jobs last month, the largest one-month loss since 1974.  Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles B. Rangel (D-NY) and Income Security and Family Support Subcommittee Chairman McDermott (D-WA) responded by calling for the swift passage of the Unemployment Insurance Modernization Act (HR 2233).  This legislation would provide up to $7 billion for States to improve unemployment insurance coverage for many jobless workers who are now denied those benefits.

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