Unemployment vouchers will help thousands of struggling Americans

The House of Representatives are expected to vote by Friday this week on legislation to provide up to 13 weeks of extended unemployment benefits in every state for workers who have spent their 26 weeks of regular unemployment benefits. In a conference call today, the legislation was discussed and Congressman Sandy Levin (D-Mich.) urged President Bush and his allies to pass the legislation and help thousands of struggling Americans.

The jobless rate jumped to 5.5 percent in May from five percent in April, the largest month increase since 1986, according to a news release. The United States lost 49,000 jobs in May, the fifth consecutive month of negative job growth, which makes the job loss since the beginning of the year nearly 325,000.

Levin spoke of the thousands of hard American workers who have never asked the government for money before, are now running out of money from their unemployment checks. Not only will the passing of the legislation help those in need, but it will also give the economy a boost because people will be giving money back, Levin said. He also urged those concerned that the house and those in support of the legislation will take “whatever steps are necessary to get this bill passed as law.”