{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://web.archive.org/web/20140221012121/http://www.brown.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/brown-and-31-senators-urge-senate-leadership-to-support-extension-of-unemployment-insurance", "Brown and 31 Senators Urge Senate Leadership to Support Extension of Unemployment Insurance", "2013-12-09", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "OH", "Sherrod Brown", "B000944", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "Brown to Co-Sponsor Bill Extending Unemployment Insurance for More than 128,000 Ohioans\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tMonday, December 9, 2013\n            \n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 With emergency unemployment compensation (EUC) set to expire on December 28, U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and 31 of his congressional colleagues urged Senate leadership to support a bill that would extend these benefits for more than 128,000 Ohioans and 1.3 million Americans through 2015. While the national unemployment rate has improved following the Great Recession, Brown and his colleagues contend that there are still too many hurting for Congress not to aid the hard working Americans who continue to look for jobs in order to support themselves and their families. \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\n\u201cWe must do everything we can to support those who are still struggling following the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression,\u201d Brown said. \u201cThese are hardworking Americans\u2014many with children\u2014who have fallen on tough times. If we don\u2019t extend emergency unemployment insurance, more than 128,000 Ohioans would lose their benefits and the ability to support their families. That is why my colleagues and I urge leaders in the Senate to support immediate action that would help keep more than one million Americans out of poverty.\u201d \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\nLast week, Brown announced his co-sponsorship of the Emergency Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2013, which amends the Supplemental Appropriations Act to extend EUC payments to eligible Americans through January 1, 2015. The EUC program was authorized by Congress in 2008 and has supported nearly 69 million Americans, including almost 17 million children. In 2012, unemployment benefits helped lift about 2.5 million Americans out of poverty. Just in Ohio:\n \nMore than 790,000 Ohioans have received EUC benefits between 2008 and 2013;\n \n \nIf unemployment insurance is not extended, more than 128,000 Ohioans would lose their benefits;\n \n \nSince 2008, more than 6,500 Ohio jobs have been saved due to EUC benefits;\n \n \nThe average weekly unemployment benefits in Ohio is $318; and\n \n \nThe maximum weekly unemployment benefits in Ohio is $413.\n \nBrown\u2019s letter to U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), and Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT) and Ranking Member Orrin Hatch (R-UT) can be read in its entirety below:\n\u00a0\nDear Majority Leader Reid, Republican Leader McConnell, Chairman Baucus, and Ranking Member Hatch:\nWe are writing to urge the continuation of federal support for unemployment insurance, a critical component of our ongoing recovery and a lifeline to millions of Americans as they search for work in this challenging economy.\u00a0 As it stands now, a few days after the holiday season ends, unemployment insurance will abruptly terminate, cutting off support for 1.3 million Americans.\nDespite the tremendous uncertainty caused by the brinksmanship over funding the government and near-default, the economy has had 45 straight months of private sector job growth and created a total of 8.1 million jobs over that period.\u00a0 However, we are still far from regaining the ground lost during the Great Recession.\u00a0 The national unemployment rate has hovered around and over 7 percent and 10.9 million Americans are out of work and looking for a job.\u00a0 Unemployed workers continue to face a daunting labor market, where for every one job opening, there are approximately 3 unemployed workers.\u00a0 That\u2019s why it\u2019s imperative that we pass legislation that will get Americans back to work and that we don\u2019t let unemployment insurance terminate at the end of the year.\u00a0\nFederal support for unemployment insurance has been a major boon to millions of Americans that have been laid off through no fault of their own.\u00a0 Since July 2008 unemployment insurance has provided over $255 billion in direct support.\u00a0 Over that period of time, we have made significant reforms, like those that avert layoffs and help people find work faster.\u00a0 Our constituents and the economy still need the support; the Economic Policy Institute estimates that the expiration of unemployment insurance will cost the economy 310,000 jobs and slow growth by 0.2 percent over the course of next year.\nContinuation of unemployment insurance has traditionally passed on a bipartisan basis because of the tremendous support it provides to the unemployed, their families, and the economy.\u00a0 We urge you to ensure that unemployment insurance is continued before its expiration at the end of the year.\n\u00a0\nSincerely,\n\u00a0\nJack Reed (D-RI)\nTom Harkin (D-IA)\nTim Kaine (D-VA)\nEd Markey (D-MA)\nKirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)\nJeanne Shaheen (D-NH)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \nSheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) \nRobert Menendez (D-NJ)\nCarl Levin (D-MI)\nBarbara Boxer (D-CA)\nChris Coons (D-DE)\nMazie Hirono (D-HI)\nElizabeth Warren (D-MA)\nJeff Merkley (D-OR)\nBob Casey (D-PA)\nAl Franken (D-MN)\nSherrod Brown (D-OH)\nRon Wyden (D-OR)\nJay Rockefeller (D-WV)\nBrian Schatz (D-HI)\nPatty Murray (D-WA)\nDebbie Stabenow (D-MI)\nBernie Sanders (I-VT)\nDick Durbin (D-IL)\nRichard Blumenthal (D-CT)\nAmy Klobuchar (D-MN)\nPatrick Leahy (D-VT)\nDianne Feinstein (D-CA)\nChristopher Murphy (D-CT)\nTom Udall (D-NM) \nBill Nelson (D-FL)\nCorey Booker (D-NJ)\n\u00a0\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://web.archive.org/web/20140221012121/http://www.brown.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/brown-and-31-senators-urge-senate-leadership-to-support-extension-of-unemployment-insurance"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.8919001556932926, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}