Senator Bob Corker issued the following statement regarding the Senate’s vote today on legislation that would extend some unemployment benefits through June 1 and retroactively pay back benefits to the end of 2013 at a cost of $10 billion:
“Congress and this administration should be doing everything possible to help get Americans back to work and grow the economy so business can invest and hire,” said Senator Corker. “Previously, I voted to allow debate on the unemployment benefits package, but unfortunately there has been no opportunity to consider or vote on alternative proposals to pay for an extension of these benefits while improving the underlying policy to connect job-seekers with available work.
Spending $10 billion of taxpayer dollars over five months without finding appropriate ways to pay for it and without including reforms to the program is irresponsible and takes us in the wrong direction.”