WASHINGTON – U.S. Rep. Candice Miller (MI-10) today became an original co-sponsor of a bill in the House of Representatives that will extend federal compensation benefits to the unemployed.  The Emergency Unemployment Compensation Extension Act, which will be introduced by Miller, Rep. Jim McDermott (D-WA), and others in the House later this week, seeks to address the problems that the rising number of unemployed Americans will have when the current law, which extends unemployment benefits for thirty-three weeks after regular unemployment benefits end, expires in September of this year.  Miller said that the current economic situation in the United States and especially in Michigan warrant Congressional action to extend unemployment benefits. 

 “Due to the extraordinary economic challenges facing us, especially in Michigan, I believe we need to extend unemployment benefits,” said Miller.  “People who have lost their jobs through no fault of their own need this safety net until we get through this economic downturn.”

 The Emergency Unemployment Compensation act will continue certain unemployment compensation programs, set to expire at the end of FY 2009, through 2010.  Such provisions include:  Emergency Unemployment Compensation or EUC, which provides up to 33 weeks of extended benefits to workers exhausting their regular unemployment benefits; 100% federal funding for Extended Benefits or EB, which provides up to an additional 20 weeks of extended benefits in high unemployment States; and Federal Additional Compensation or FAC, which increases unemployment benefits by $25 a week.   The legislation will also provide an additional 13 weeks of EUC benefits in States with a three-month average total unemployment rate of at least 9 percent or an insured unemployment rate of at least 6 percent.

 “Not acting is not an option,” said Miller.  “Hundreds of thousands of unemployed Americans will see their benefits exhausted if we don’t do something.”