Cold Hearted Extremism: Unemployed Americans Left Out in the Cold

WASHINGTON, DC - Following the House of Representatives' failure to agree on a bill to extend federal unemployment insurance benefits, Mary Kay Henry, President of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), issued the following statement:

Right wing House Republicans' refusal to compromise on a bill that would extend federal unemployment insurance benefits is a cold hearted political maneuver that illustrates just how little they care about Americans looking for work. Allowing these benefits to lapse is absolutely inexcusable.

"While the Senate did its job, Speaker Boehner was again unable to convince the Tea Party faction of his party to act in our country's best interest in a time of crisis. Their cold indifference to unemployed workers struggling to make ends meet is striking. Thanks to them, 1.8 million Americans will lose benefits in January and our jobs emergency will continue to worsen."

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With 2.1 million members in Canada, the United States and Puerto Rico, SEIU is the fastest-growing union in the Americas. Focused on uniting workers in healthcare, public services and property services, SEIU members are winning better wages, healthcare and more secure jobs for our communities, while uniting their strength with their counterparts around the world to help ensure that workers--not just corporations and CEOs--benefit from today's global economy. www.seiu.org

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