Farnese: Unemployment Benefits Extension Wins Senate Nod

HARRISBURG, July 29, 2009 – State Sen. Larry Farnese (D-Phila.) announced today that bipartisan legislation that would use federal money to extend unemployment benefits by seven weeks for jobless workers was approved by the full Senate today.

The Senate amended the bill to ensure the extended unemployment compensation would be retroactive so jobless workers who lost their benefits prior to the bill’s passage would receive their extension.

“Philadelphia County is the number one county affected by the loss of unemployment compensation benefits,” Farnese said. “I am pleased that we finally prodded the Senate Republicans into getting this bill out of committee for a floor vote and getting this money to jobless workers to pay their bills and put food on the table for their children.”

Last week, at a capitol news conference, Farnese blasted Senate Republicans for holding up the legislation (House Bill 1770) in the Senate’s Labor and Industry Committee. He stated that the unemployment extension needed to be passed so thousands of workers from Philadelphia, whose unemployment benefits were exhausted, could continue to receive unemployment dollars. More than 10,000 Philadelphians currently need an extension. Statewide, the legislation would impact more than 56,000 jobless workers.

“It seemed a no-brainer to me to pass this legislation immediately,” Farnese said. “The federal dollars are there to ensure that these Pennsylvanians continue to receive compensation through this rough economic time.”

The legislation was passed by the House of Representatives by a lopsided 197 to 1 margin. Farnese said there is $145 million in federal aid that would pay for extended benefits for the affected workers. The measure would give most jobless workers a total of 79 weeks of unemployment benefits.

“With the passage of this bill we will be able to provide extended unemployment benefits to our citizens who are in most need of this support at this time,” Farnese said.

The workers who lost their benefits 10 days ago will be contacted by the state Labor and Industry Department about how to receive the extension.

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