NAACP Supports Efforts to Extend Unemployment Benefits

NAACP Supports Efforts to Extend Unemployment Benefits for Out-of-Work Americans
CALL CONGRESS TODAY AND URGE THEM TO EXTEND UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS, INCLUDING HEALTH CARE INSURANCE, AND HELP CITIES AND STATES RETAIN WORKERS WHO PROVIDE ESSENTIAL SERVICES

Despite signs that the economy is stabilizing, unemployment continues to be at unacceptably high levels. This is especially true among racial and ethnic minorities: In January, 2010, the unemployment rate was 16.5% among African Americans and 12.6 % for Latinos, compared to 9.7% nationwide.

In 5 days, at the end of this month, people looking for a job in this tough economy will be completely cut off from Unemployment Insurance benefits and COBRA subsidies. This is nothing short of a disaster, as more than 40% of all unemployed workers are still struggling to find work after six months, and more than six jobless workers are competing for every job opening. On top of that, states will soon lose funding for Medicaid and other vital public services. There are more than 26 million unemployed Americans who cannot afford to be cut off from these crucial lifelines.

While the jobless aid provided by the Recovery Act and subsequent extensions of jobless benefits and subsidized COBRA coverage has been significant, the decision of Congress to adopt limited extensions of these programs has caused severe hardship, both for unemployed workers and the state systems that are struggling with severely outdated equipment and insufficient staff and resources to process over 10 million unemployment checks each week.

The House passed a job creation and retention bill in December: it is now up to the Senate. If the Senate acts now, not only would those currently unemployed Americans be helped, but we could also save as many as 800,000 jobs in essential public safety, education, and health services provided by state and local governments.

TAKE ACTION NOW BY JOINING US FOR THE NATIONAL CALL-IN DAY URGING THE SENATE TO EXTEND UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE BENEFITS AND COBRA
THROUGH THE END OF 2010
AND PROVIDE AID TO LOCAL AND STATE GOVERNMENTS.

CALL YOUR SENATORS AT 1-888-460-0813 TODAY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 23
AND URGE THEM ACT NOW.