Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa on Friday called on the Bush administration to stop fighting Congress on extending unemployment insurance benefits. His comments followed the Labor Department's announcement that the nation's unemployment rate soared to 5.5 percent in May, the biggest jump in 22 years. Americans lost 49,000 jobs last month.
"It's high time George Bush and his allies recognize the government has a responsibility to help out Americans in hard economic times," Hoffa said. "Today he said the solution to our economic problems is making tax cuts for rich people permanent. Is it too much to ask that he offer assistance to people who are really struggling?"
The Teamsters support the proposal contained in the supplemental appropriations bill under review in the House and Senate. It would provide up to 13 more weeks of unemployment benefits in every state. People in states with high unemployment would receive another 13 weeks of benefits.
"If the government can spend billions to bail out Bear Stearns, it can give a little extra help to ordinary Americans in a crisis," Hoffa said.
"Congress should send to the White House a bill that includes an extension of unemployment insurance benefits, and President Bush should sign it," Hoffa said.
"This week we found out we're losing 14,000 airline jobs, and I'm sure we'll be hearing about more. GM is closing plants. We can't afford to fill up our gas tanks. We're losing our homes. This is the regrettable result of Bush's economic policies that leave every man for himself -- unless you are wealthy," Hoffa said.
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