If extended Unemployment Benefits are to survive, this week is pivotal. Senate negotiations broke down last Thursday, but Reid appears to be pressing ahead with a bill intended to get bipartisan support.
If you have a minute or even thirty seconds to act, now would be the time to help get the Senate's attention. Scroll down for a few quick action items.
But first, directly below the fold, an update on developments from the past few days...
Reid continues to try to shepherd an Unemployment Insurance extension through the Senate. He is currently pushing a compromise bill, but final negotiations broke down on Thursday over Republican demands to offer 26 different amendments, including McConnell's proposal to delay the ACA's individual mandate. Republicans want an opportunity to force vulnerable Democrats to take votes that could be used against them in November. On Friday, Reid agreed to allow a reasonable number of relevant amendments.
Now is the time to turn up the heat on Republican Senators and to remind Democrats that this needs to happen...now!
PLEASE HELP:
1) Call your Senators, especially if they are Republican and DEFINITELY if they are one of these six:
Rob Portman (Ohio) 202-224-3353
Susan Collins (Maine) 202-224-2523
Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) 202-224-6665
Dan Coats (Indiana) (202) 224-5623
Kelly Ayotte (New Hampshire) 202-224-3324
Mitch McConnell (Kentucky) 202-224-2541
Staff will probably ask for your zip code to make sure you are a constituent.
If your Senator isn't listed, call the Senate switchboard: (202) 224-3121
2) Sign and send the petition to Senate Republicans: Restore emergency unemployment benefits
3) Share the petition, this diary, or this article (or all three!) on social media:
5 Reason Congress Must Extend Unemployment Insurance
(More articles below!)
4) Recommend this diary (Please!)
Please comment with suggestions for making these action items more effective or with other ideas.
Here are additional articles to share:
Congress Needs to Extend Unemployment Insurance
Washington Post
Congress' Job: Extend Unemployment Benefits
Los Angeles Times
Weak report underscores need to extend jobless benefits
MarketWatch
Congress should do the right thing and restore unemployment benefits
The Buffalo News
Extend unemployment benefits: Our view
USA Today
It makes economic sense to extend benefits to 1.3m jobless
Corvallis Gazette-Times
One Final Time: We Should Extend Unemployment Benefits
Business Insider
Don't Leave the Unemployed Out in the Cold
Huffington Post
Importance in Extending Unemployment Insurance
American LiveWire
$64.8 million drained from California economy due to unemployment benefits lapse
Lake County News
1.4 million long-term unemployed Americans (and counting) THANK YOU for helping!!