Chairman McDermott Urges Swift Passage of H.R. 1

January 27, 2009

Mr. Speaker, everyday, in every corner of this nation and every sector of our economy, the casualties keep mounting. Alcoa, Boeing, Caterpillar, Home Depot, Intel, Microsoft, Pfizer, Sprint, Texas Instruments, and countless small businesses. 

Over 11 million Americans have already lost their jobs-- the highest level in 25 years -- and every major economist says it’s going to get worse before it gets better.  Behind every number is a personal story of an American family struggling to cope and survive this economic crisis. 

Behind every story is an American who deserves our help, has earned our help on the job, and has every right to expect Congress to act with all deliberate speed.  We must not let them down.

Helping these Americans while they look for work is not only the right thing to do for them, it’s also the right thing to do for our economy.  Unemployment insurance is one of the most effective forms of economic stimulus because jobless Americans have little choice but to spend the money quickly.

Every UI dollar spent returns an economic impact of $1.64.  That’s the kind of significant return on investment that will help America re-start its economic engine.

This recovery package responds to rising unemployment with an historic level of assistance.

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Ways and Means Passes Economic Recovery Legislation
 Bill would provide critical tax, health and unemployment benefits for families, gives incentives to create jobs

January 22, 2009

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The House Committee on Ways and Means voted today in support of a comprehensive economic recovery package to provide tax, health and unemployment relief to families while also encouraging businesses to create new jobs. The legislation, H.R. 598, passed the Committee by a party-line vote of 24 to 13. The legislation will now be combined with other components of the recovery package from other House Committees into H.R. 1, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act for consideration by thefull House of Representatives next week.

As noted in a release last Friday, all of Title II, approximately $45 billion, comes from Chairman Jim McDermott’s (D-WA) Subcommittee on Income Security and Family Support.

“This legislation will provide critical benefits and incentives to middle-America, poor-America, and businesses, large and small, who are struggling during this economic downturn,” said Chairman Charles B. Rangel (D-NY). “This plan will go a long way to help relieve the pain these families and businesses are experiencing so that we can restore some confidence and economic security and help America maintain its prominence in the global marketplace. Simply put, the American people cannot keep the engine of our economy running if they don’t have money to spend and this package provides tax relief and critical benefits to help them take home a little more each month and help the economy grow.”

“The need is great and the time to act is now,” said Rep. Jim McDermott.

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America Economic Recovery Legislation Includes $45 Billion From Rep. McDermott’s Subcommittee

Earlier this afternoon, Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles B. Rangel (D-NY) introduced H.R. 598, legislation including components of the economic recovery bill under the Jurisdiction of the Ways and Means Committee.  Rep. Jim McDermott (D-WA), chairman of the Income Security and Family Support Subcommittee joined Chairman Rangel as an original co-sponsor of this crucial legislation.

“This recovery package will help restore confidence for American families and businesses and grow the economy so that we can recover from the current downturn,” said Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles B. Rangel (D-NY).   “We will provide relief directly to families who are hurting, helping those who have lost their jobs and their health care to rebuild and recover their lives.  We have also crafted a targeted package of benefits to businesses large and small to jumpstart investments in new technology and new jobs to help our economy turn around.”

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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.

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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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