WASHINGTON—U.S. Rep. Mary Jo Kilroy voted in favor of a bipartisan effort to provide financial relief to central Ohioans whose unemployment benefits are projected to run out by the end of September.  The Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2009 would provide up to 13 weeks of extended unemployment benefits to citizens in Ohio to help them with their everyday expenses during these tough economic times and would directly stimulate the economy nationwide.

The extension comes after unemployment indicators dropped throughout Kilroy’s district. Franklin County’s unemployment rate dropped from 9.2 percent to 8.8 percent in August. Madison County saw the largest drop in unemployment rates down to 9.1 percent from 9.9 percent in the same period. Union County also saw the unemployment situation improve from 9.2 percent in July to 8.8 percent in August.

“Our nation’s economic crisis has caused many of my constituents back in Ohio to lose their jobs. These hardworking citizens would run out of their unemployment benefits by the end of this month placing additional burdens on already strained American families without Congressional action,” said Kilroy.  “Despite some improvement in the unemployment picture, these critical funds are needed to allow households to continue to run without encountering undue hardships.”

The Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2009 is estimated to benefit 314,000 American workers in Ohio, and other “high unemployment” states, who are projected to exhaust all available unemployment benefits by the end of September.   According to the legislation “high unemployment” states are defined as having a three-month average total unemployment rate of 8.5 percent or a 13 week uninsured unemployment rate above 6 percent. 

The Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2009 is projected to strengthen the economy by increasing consumer demand and prevent additional foreclosures providing families with funds to buy necessities as well as continue their mortgage payments. According to the Congressional Budget Office, unemployment benefits are one of the most cost-efficient and fastest-acting forms of economic stimulus.  In fact, studies have shown that every additional dollar of unemployment benefits yields $1.64 in economic stimulus.

“This increase in benefits is not only good for families in central Ohio, but it is good for our local economy as well. Giving families more income will provide them with more dollars to spend at our locally owned businesses,” said Kilroy. “Families are struggling to make ends meet all over our country. Hopefully the funds families receive through the Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2009 will give them the hope they need to look forward to a brighter and more financially stable tomorrow."