February 9, 2011

To:  House Ways and Means Committee, Sub-Committe on Human Resources

I am writing to urge you to take quick and immediate action on behalf of the Unemployed in America, especially the large number (which is growing larger with each new day) of long-termed unemployed who have already exhausted all available unemployment benefits (Exhaustees/99’ers). Many of us do not qualify for any assistance from local, county, state, and federal government programs for basic living needs such as food, shelter, required daily medications, clothing and assistance with utilities to keep themselves warm through the winters and cool through the summers. For those who may qualify for some of these programs, they are not being assisted because many of the charity and government organizations who provide said programs used to assist for these types of necessities have suffered budget, funding and donation cuts. How are the Unemployed in America to survive, until such a time when jobs are plentiful and they are once again able to sustain themselves and their families? Without the lifeline of Unemployment Insurance Benefits, the unemployed will not be able to procure the basic necessities required to simply live.

I am also writing to urge you to resolve the issue of insufficient jobs in America. The Unemployed in America are not content to merely exist from the lifeline of Unemployment Insurance Benefits. We want to be able to rebuild our lives, our savings and our hopes and dreams for a brighter tomorrow. We are unable to rebuild without JOBS. We desperately need your assistance so that we can again realize a bright future for ourselves and our loved ones. Therefore, JOBS must become a high priority for America for without it, America will be unable to compete and sustain the standards in which our country was founded upon.

This brings me to my next point. The American government entities cannot create jobs, nor can they force an employer to hire, and I understand this. American government has created incentives for the employers to hire, as the American government has given the financial sectors stimulus funds to assist borrowers. However, the employers and the financial sectors have not been pro-active with the government’s calls to action. Simply put, they are not helping improve the current economic crisis. Today’s high percentage numbers in unemployment, foreclosures, automobile repossessions, homelessness, bankruptcy filings, overall personal debt, and so much more reflect this point to be a fact, not an opinion.

Plain and simple: Unemployment benefits are a lifeline for the unemployed. It will stimulate the economy, as the unemployed are all consumers. It will also prevent rises in the percentages of foreclosures, homelessness, bankruptcy filings, vehicle repossessions, overall personal debt and so much more. Therefore, by adding weeks to the Emergency Unemployment Compensation program and by creating JOBS so that the Unemployed in America may rebuild their lives, it will benefit all of America and the people within this great nation.

Re-establish our trust in the government systems and assist us in re-building our lives; re-instill our faith in the goodness of humanity, in our legislators and the overall system of government within our nation; assist us in being proud again to be Americans. Pass and/or create the bills necessary to create additional benefit weeks. Our lives, the lives of our family members, and the overall economic health of America is dependent on this to survive and overcome the current economic crisis.

Thank you,

Elizabeth  A. Steere