ATTN ALL Unemployed: Proposed Legislation Would Allow States to Use EUC Funds for 'JOBS' - Ending Tier Benefits

House Republicans unveiled a bill on Thursday that would give state governments greater leeway in how they spend federal funds earmarked for benefits for long-term unemployed people.

The legislation, introduced by House Ways & Means Committee Chairman Dave Camp (R., Mich.), would enable states to use the funds for other purposes including investing in job creation programs, repaying money already owed to the federal government through the program, providing tax breaks for employers, or continuing to pay jobless benefits to long-term unemployed people.

But House Democrats quickly slammed the bill because it would allow states to reduce the weeks of jobless benefits offered instead of ensuring up to 99 weeks of unemployment insurance through the end of the year. Some states have already started trimming back the 26 weeks of state-funded benefits.

“This is the opposite of a jobs bill — it is a hatchet job on the unemployment insurance program,” Rep. Sander Levin (D. Mich.), Ranking Member of the Ways & Means Committee said in a statement. “With this legislation, Republicans are proposing to end this year’s guaranteed benefit for the long-term unemployed.”

gettheminNOVEMBER wrote:I bet there are some sorry NON-VOTERS now and buyers remorse.

Can they start a bill in the senate?

DesperateInRI wrote:

House Republicans unveiled a bill on Thursday that would give state governments greater leeway in how they spend federal funds earmarked for benefits for long-term unemployed people.

The legislation, introduced by House Ways & Means Committee Chairman Dave Camp (R., Mich.), would enable states to use the funds for other purposes including investing in job creation programs, repaying money already owed to the federal government through the program, providing tax breaks for employers, or continuing to pay jobless benefits to long-term unemployed people.

But House Democrats quickly slammed the bill because it would allow states to reduce the weeks of jobless benefits offered instead of ensuring up to 99 weeks of unemployment insurance through the end of the year. Some states have already started trimming back the 26 weeks of state-funded benefits.

“This is the opposite of a jobs bill — it is a hatchet job on the unemployment insurance program,” Rep. Sander Levin (D. Mich.), Ranking Member of the Ways & Means Committee said in a statement. “With this legislation, Republicans are proposing to end this year’s guaranteed benefit for the long-term unemployed.”

http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2011/05/05/bill-would-allow-states-to-use-unemployment-funds-for-other-purposes/?mod=google_news_blog

Not good.