WASHINGTON -- Responding to rising unemployment rates and a looming benefit cutoff for hundreds of thousands of jobless workers, Democrats on the House Ways and Means Committee announced they will introduce an unemployment extension bill first the day of the new 108^th Congress in early January. They also specifically called on President Bush to support this critical legislation, which would help millions of families and stimulate the economy by boosting consumer demand.

   "President Bush has said he is a compassionate conservative, but apparently that compassion does not extend to the unemployed. He stood silent on the sidelines as Republicans in the House blocked an extension of unemployment benefits to millions of laid-off workers. We will reintroduce legislation to correct this inequity, and we hope he supports it this time," declared Rep. Charles B. Rangel, Ranking Democrat of the Ways and Means Committee.

   Rep. Benjamin L. Cardin, who is the leading Democrat on the subcommittee that oversees the unemployment compensation system, said: "We will put forward a bill to provide 26 weeks of extended benefits to every jobless worker, and we urge the President to work toward its passage. More than four million unemployed workers would directly benefit from this legislation. These are the families most affected by the economic downturn, and they need real help, not empty promises. In addition, we will press for other changes in the unemployment system, such as tearing down barriers now preventing certain low-wage and part-time workers from being covered."

   Another senior Member of the Ways and Means Committee, Rep. Sander Levin, said, "This week I talked with a father of three who had exhausted all of his unemployment benefits. He was waiting in line with 700 other out-of-work electricians, hoping to pick up a day's work, but there's no work to be had. Congress and the President must act immediately to help these families -- no delays, no excuses."

   On Dec. 28, the Temporary Extended Unemployment Compensation (TEUC) program will expire, immediately terminating unemployment benefits for roughly 800,000 workers. Every week thereafter, another 90,000 workers will be denied extended benefits when their regular unemployment benefits run out. Finally, about one million workers have already exhausted their TEUC benefits over the last year but have not found new employment. All of these workers would receive additional unemployment compensation under the Democratic bill to be filed in early January.