Blumenthal Statement On Failure Of Unemployment Insurance Bill To Clear Procedural Threshold

(Washington, DC) –Today, U.S Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) issued the following statement after legislation to extend emergency unemployment insurance failed to clear a procedural threshold by one vote. More than 20,000 Connecticut residents lost federal unemployment insurance benefits on December 28, and that number continues to grow the longer Congress fails to act.

“Despite backing from a clear majority of the United States Senate, we still fell one vote shy of breaking through the Senate’s arcane rules and extending emergency unemployment benefits for millions of Americans. The task at hand is clear: we need to convince just one more colleague that this crucial lifeline must be restored to ensure economic security for families across our country. With thousands of people in Connecticut losing unemployment insurance each month, we cannot afford further delay.”