Unemployment: US govt urges extension of benefits

Obama’s administration criticizes decision that did not extend emergency aid to 1.3 million people looking for work.

WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama’s administration urged US lawmakers to swiftly restore unemployment benefits, criticizing a decision not to extend emergency aid to 1.3 million people looking for work. A statement from the Director of the National Economic Council, Gene Sperling, said the move “defied economic sense”. Sperling said, ”Never before have we abruptly cut off emergency unemployment insurance when we faced this level of long-term unemployment and it would be a blow to these families and our economy”. He further added that “While we remain disappointed that Congress did not heed the President’s call, the President as well as the Democratic Congressional leadership has made clear the importance of extending the benefits immediately upon Congress’s return.”

Published in The Express Tribune, December 29^th, 2013.

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