Swalwell Leads 20 Dems to Urge Extension of Unemployment Benefits on House Floor (VIDEO)

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Representative Eric Swalwell (CA-15) today organized Democratic Members of Congress on the House Floor to urge Speaker Boehner to immediately restore unemployment benefits for the 1.4 million Americans who recently lost this vital lifeline due to Congressional inaction. Swalwell and 20 Democrats demanded that House Republican Leadership allow an up-or-down vote on H.R. 3824, which would extend emergency unemployment insurance for three months.

"Millions of Americans who need unemployment insurance to care for their families while they search for a job were left out in the cold recently when they were stripped of this lifeline," said Swalwell. "I call on Speaker Boehner to act now on behalf of Americans who worked hard, played by the rules, and lost their jobs through no fault of their own."

Each week Congress does not extend unemployment benefits 72,000 additional struggling Americans will lose their benefits.

"Extending unemployment benefits is the right thing to do and makes economic sense. Failure to extend emergency unemployment insurance will cost the economy 240,000 jobs this year," Swalwell added.

View video of Swalwell and fellow Democrats on the floor urging an extension of unemployment benefits: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CXcY-Z_j0g&feature=youtu.be