WASHINGTON, DC - After a minority of Senators blocked a bill in that would have extended federal emergency unemployment insurance benefits, Mary Kay Henry, President of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), issued the following statement:

Cold-hearted is the first phrase that comes to mind when I think about what these Senators have done, or refused to do, to help 1.3 million Americans already struggling to make ends meet. A minority of Senators made the unconscionable choice to leave job seekers out in the cold. Even worse, if Congress does not act on an extension, another 1.9 million workers will lose access to federal benefits in the first six months of 2014 when their regular state unemployment benefits expire. We need to remember, that these are workers who are unemployed by no fault of their own. They have been counting on unemployment benefits to feed their families and pay their rent or mortgage while they look for work. This vote was a travesty and Congress should redouble its efforts to help those looking for work by providing extended benefits as soon as possible."

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