Republicans BLOCK Emergency Unemployment Benefit Extension-MILLIONS Set To Lose Benefits in March !

[Techn0Girl]

This Thursday Republican obstructionist Mitch McConnell http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/02/12/mcconnell-objects-to-one_n_460328.html">successfully blocked a Democratic proposal to extend by ONE WEEK, unemployment benefits that are due to expire this February 28th. This was an emergency proposal by Democrats in order to keep the unemployment lifeline flowing to millions of families.

Republican obstructionists have already tied up proposals to extend unemployment benefits in the Senate. States need 3-6 weeks minimum to reprogram their computers in order to allow benefit changes to recipients. The Senate will not reconvene until next February 22nd and it is likely that Republicans will attempt to hold back benefits as long as possible.

All states will be forced to discontinue approval for ANY extended benefits past the 26 week mark to any and all eligible recipients. Let me be clear: if you are currently receiving extended benefits that are set to end AFTER March 15-21 (roughly), your benefits will NOT be interrupted --

HOWEVER if your extended or regular(26 week) benefits are due to expire any time between February 28th and the time the Senate extends the Bill PLUS the 3-6 week ramp up time the States need to reprogram their plans YOU WILL RECEIVE NO MONEY DURING THIS PERIOD.

None. At. All.

Up to http://washingtonindependent.com/75815/report-1-2-million-americans-set-to-lose-unemployment-benefits-in-march">1.2 MILLION Americans will be in the worst case situation during the months of March - about 300,000 Americans will LOSE their unemployment lifeline each and every week after March 1st.

Even if Congress manages to pass the extension any time in February at this point in time most States will be unable to act on it for 3-5 or more weeks during which time NO money will be paid out to new eligible recipients

If you;re on unemployment you NEED to contact your Congressman Now. You NEED to make people aware that Republicans are toying with you and your families only source of income for petty political gain.

"They're grossly underestimating the degree of disruption that is already going to happen," said Judy Conti, a lobbyist for the National Employment Law Project.

P.S. I just got a decent job <yeah!> yesterday after about 8 months on unemployment - but I still think of this issue as something I should fight for. I hope that you do as well. We're all in this together