Apr 8, 2014 - Latino Leaders Urge House to Follow Senate's Lead, Pass Unemployment Insurance Extension

PRESS RELEASE
April 7, 2014

Latino Leaders Urge House to Follow Senate's Lead, Pass Unemployment Insurance Extension
National Hispanic Leadership Agenda Welcomes Senate Vote; Unemployment Votes May Be Included In Congressional Scorecard

Washington, D.C. -- The National Hispanic Leadership Agenda (NHLA), a coalition of 37 of the nation’s preeminent Latino organizations, praised Senators who voted 59-38 to extend emergency unemployment insurance benefits to the long-term unemployed and urged the House of Representatives to follow suit. In a letter sent to all Senators last week, NHLA announced that votes on extending unemployment benefits may be included in the organization's Congressional Scorecard for the 113th Congress.

"The Senate finally voted to restore unemployment benefits for the millions of Americans still left behind by our lagging recovery," said Hector Sanchez, Chair of NHLA and Executive Director of the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement (LCLAA). "This emergency relief is especially crucial for the Hispanic community which was hit hardest by the recession and continues to face 7.9 percent unemployment—higher than the national average. I urge the House to promptly pass this bipartisan compromise."

"For Hispanic families, the road to recovery has been strewn with potholes and road blocks. Our community's unemployment rate hasn't kept pace with national improvements, and budget cuts to job training, education, and child care have made the road even steeper," said Eric Rodriguez Vice President of Office of Research, Advocacy, and Legislation for the National Council of La Raza (NCLR). "Passing this extension of unemployment benefits is crucial to helping the 1.3 million people Congress had left behind."

"With this vote, the Senate takes an important step to provide some small measure of relief for the millions of Americans who are still struggling to make ends meet in this economy," said Jessica González-Rojas, executive director of the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health. "We know that unemployment has particularly serious implications for the well-being of Latinas and our families who are already more likely to live in poverty and be paid less when we are employed. This is a step in the right direction toward healing the ongoing struggles of many in our community. We hope the House will act quickly to pass this bipartisan compromise."

"At a time of increasing income inequality in the United States, the Senate’s vote to extend unemployment benefits to the long-term unemployed is absolutely essential," stated LULAC National Executive Director Brent Wilkes. "Now the House must act to provide needed relief to those most impacted by the worst recession America has faced in modern times."

"Too many families continue to cope with the aftermath of the worst economic crisis in generations. And far too many Latino families have borne the brunt of that economic pain," said José Calderón, President of the Hispanic Federation. "The bipartisan Senate legislation on unemployment insurance is a step forward for many job-seeking individuals. The House should move expeditiously. It’s the right thing to do for our families and economy.”"

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Established in 1991, the National Hispanic Leadership Agenda (NHLA) brings together Hispanic leaders to establish policy priorities that address, and raise public awareness of, the major issues affecting the Latino community and the nation as a whole. For more information, please visit www.nationalhispanicleadership.org and follow @NHLAgenda.

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