LANSING – As Michigan's families struggle in the face of the highest unemployment rate in the nation, House Speaker Pro Tempore Michael G. Sak (D-Grand Rapids) and State Representative Robert Dean (D-Grand Rapids) today called on the U.S. Congress to pass a bill that will double the length of time unemployment benefits are offered.
"All across our state, our families are hurting," Sak said. "Hard-working men and women – laid off from their jobs through no fault of their own – are struggling to put food on the table and pay their heating bills. In these challenging economic times, finding a new job can be a stressful and time-consuming experience. We must stand by our working families and help them as they get their feet back on the ground."
Michigan's unemployment rate is currently 7.6 percent, No. 1 in the country and more than 2 percent above the national average of 5 percent. Michigan's average unemployment rate was 7.2 percent in 2007, and is projected to average 7.7 percent in 2008, according to a Feb. 8 editorial in the Detroit Free Press[1].
The legislation, currently in the U.S. Senate, could extend the current 26-week cushion by 13 weeks. Residents in states with an unemployment rate higher than 6.5 percent – including Michigan – would see their benefits extended for an additional 13 weeks on top of that.
"From Detroit's autoworkers to the nurses at Spectrum Health, the working men and women of Michigan drive our economy forward every day," Dean said. "By supporting our workers, we are supporting our economy. I call on the U.S. Congress to pass this plan and give our working families the boost they need to secure the good-paying jobs of the 21st century."
House Democrats have worked tirelessly to create good-paying jobs and improve the lives of Michigan's working families. Their aggressive job-creation plan – "Hire Michigan First" – gives priority for economic development projects to companies that employ 100 percent Michigan workers. The initiative also cracks down on the practice of hiring illegal immigrants and prohibits businesses that violate these guidelines from receiving tax breaks or future state contracts.