KITCHEN: BILL EXTENDING UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS IS CRITICAL

            HARRISBURG, July 20 – State Sen. Shirley Kitchen today criticized Senate Republicans for stalling on crucial legislation that would use federal money to extend unemployment benefits for Pennsylvanians.

            “This bill is critical to the growing number of unemployed Pennsylvanians,” Kitchen said. “There’s no reason to hold up a vote on this measure, which will give jobless individuals and their families a little relief.”

            The legislation, House Bill 1770, would adjust the formula used to determine Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate to open up $145 million in federal aid that would pay for extended benefits for the affected workers. The measure would extend the unemployment compensation benefits by seven weeks.

           The measure received nearly unanimous passage in the House of Representatives, but has stalled in the Senate Labor Relations Committee for over a week.

            Around 17,880 Pennsylvanians just lost their unemployment compensation benefits, 4,180 of which were from Philadelphia.

            “These people need our help now. They can’t wait another day while the Republicans continue to implement their stall tactics,” Kitchen said. “During this historic national economic crisis, we must take extraordinary action to help Pennsylvanians who are out of a job, so I urge the Senate Labor Relations Committee to move House Bill 1770 out of committee now.”

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