Cost Estimate for H.R. 3548
The bill to extend unemployment benefits another little while has gotten a score from the CBO. That’s the Congressional Budget Office, a small agency that does economic modeling and estimates about the spending and revenue effects of pending bills.
You can see the analysis itself by going to the “Learn More” box on the page for the bill and clicking “Read an Analysis of the Bill.” To see how we process estimates from CBO, take a look at our “about” page.
H.R. 3548 has almost 17,000 comments on it at this writing, and it’s not all sweetness and light. I don’t know if the conversation will improve with the knowledge that every family in the U.S. will spend about $24 to support unemployed folks, but it’s a conversation worth having.
Bruce Bart
I live here in Michigan, where construction jobs have slowly begun to return. An extension of my benefits would keep me afloat until I work returns. $24 per family? How much does each family pay when there is an emergency declared…brush fires, southern flooding, etc. How about the millions we send to third world countries…..Keep the money in the USA!
p.h. rup
Are you frekin kidding me…..these are benefits that people have paid into all their working lives and now they don’t want to give them back….we are taxed into hell and back and when it comes time to support the people who put you idiots in office you quibble….what about all the pork money, padded bills with money for studying pig and cow gas (millions) what about all the money we give, give and give to foreign countries…..why not just gather all the unemployed people and give them a lethal injection….IT WOULD BE MORE HUMANE THAN LETTING THEM AND THEIR FAMILIES STARVE TO DEATH while you senators go out and pay for all your illegal activities including women and bribes
B McCoy
Where was the CBO score when the senate gave themselves the budget raise they “quietly” voted on? Where was the CBO score when we gave away billions to corrupt banks, insurance companies and foreign countries? Where was the CBO score on the cost of the Senate’s healthcare, retirement plan, automatic raises, and private jets?
I have changed to the Independent party(after 50 years). I will vote for every fresh face that runs for office, unless I see a major and quick change in our current parties treatment of the American worker. I encourage everyone to call their Senator’s asking them to act on behalf of working American’s for a change. As far as the $24 it will be dumped back in the local economies as fast as it is received. That is a real stimulus and may keep myself and many others from being homeless and the heat on.
Let’s not forget that it is our leaders actions or lack of actions that put us in this place, not us! We would rather have a JOB but somehow they are all in China?????
Kevin
Actually if you break it down to per person it’s a little over $7.00
But you can guess that every dime of it will be reinvested into the economy as you’re money is benefiting people who need it to spend on goods, services, mortgages, and food.
B Wright
There are many thousands of Americans who desperately need the unemployment extension because they still cannot find work. If this lifeline were not there, then many of them will lose their cars (needed to find work and get to interviews… and to work when they find it), they will lose their homes (do we need more foreclosures?), they will literally lose their families (with a little money and love a family can hang in there; with no money, divorce and pain and hardship for the children are imminent). I would gladly pay $24 to keep my neighbors from having to go through this because… I am an American!
Trina
When families lose their homes and their jobs, I ask our government – Is this what we want to put our children through? You provide stimulus programs… “Cash for Clunkers”, “$8000 rebates for homeowners”… What help is there for families that have no credit after their home has been foreclosed? No one will give a loan for a car or a home if you don’t have a job and have lost your home! Maybe the Government could pull families out of distress from sending them a stimulus check to them direct, not through unemployment… I mean $2,000 per family member to give them a boost. Something better has to happen. While the rich are getting richer the poor are getting poorer – Someone needs to HELP the Americans soon!
Misty
This is the first time people will know where atleast $24 dollars of their money is going.
victor
I’ve worked since 1982(May). i’ve paid taxes for the unemployed in the 1982,1991,and the 2001 recessions. What goes around should come around. As for the $24 tax, why can’t some of that tax fund come out of the UEI checks too. I have no problem contributing the $24 for that fund so that i can move on.
Stacy
THIS IS RIDICULOUS! Feed our Citizens. Who gives a rats a** about Healthcare right now. Priority people…Priority
Reid Hyams
What a joke… a bad joke at that. Our congress is more concerned about passing the health care bill than making sure the unemployed can eat! Absurd. What they really need to do is start purchasing body bags – this is what we’ll need when people starve to death due to the fact they do not have money for food, then they won’t have to be concerned about what to bury them in. Passing the health care bill means zilch at this point, if people are dying from starvation because Congress can’t get it together to pass the extended unemployment bill! At the same time it was good to see that they made the time to give themselves a raise! Obviously, it tells us one very important fact – this is the WORST Congress we have seen in our lifetime!!! The very worst…
BCM
It takes action so Please call All the Senators and ask their positions and give your opinions. (Call 2 or 3 times a day if needed) I asked Senator Kyl’s Office(s) which would be the best tent city location in AZ (never been there)Phoenix or Tuscon where his offices are located. When we lose everything I told them I was loading the Van, tent, and kids, borrowing gas money and moving to AZ. At least it will be warmer to be homeless and starving. By the way Kyl had the largest operating budget increase they voted in. No CBO score mentioned????
MrJonson
This CBO is the dumbest thing ever seen. As another blogger points out the CBO step seems to get skipped when we spend 600 Billion in Iraq, but suddenly wan’t all this due dillegence over 2 Billion. They just don’t get it, if we don’t extend Unemployment then all these poor familes will suffer far beyond $24 when no one is Christmas Shopping and the economy comes to a sudden stop.
kemetic law
How much does each family pay for those wars in Afghan & Iraq?…. Let me see $120 billion allocted for fy 2010 alone thats $144 per year per american family to babysit mountains in Afghan..And play table tennis in Irag..End those expensive wars now..
ldj
The cost is two cents a day per person for a year. The benefit will be keeping a million and a half workers and their families from poverty and homelessness. What is there to debate?
MrJonson
Not sure what the GOP is trying to accomplish with this STUNT. It’s not going to work and will just back fire on them. Right now the GOP looks like FOOLS. Many family’s being asked to spend $24 are also small business owners who greatly depend upon Christmas Shopping. It’s like the GOP is trying to sink the economy on purpose.
ldj
I should have said that the cost is two cents a day per person for two years – still a trivial cost.
Interestingly, the bill ultimately REDUCES government debt slightly.
Gina
The health care Bill REALLY needs to go on the back burner- IF they truly wanted EVERY American to have coverage- all they really need to do is tweak the requirements for Medicaid.. NOT build an entirely different infrastructure.
PLEASE PASS a Bill that will continue Unemployment for 6 months! Quit messing around!
Cost Estimate for H.R. 3548 – The WashingtonWatch.com Blog (via postie) | Kantaas.Com
[...] Cost Estimate for H.R. 3548 – The WashingtonWatch.com Blog [...]
On the bread line in Ohio
(I couldn’t resist!)
A gallon of 87 Octane unleaded: $2.45.
The cost of the average space shuttle mission:
ALOT!
To keep the American population safe and sound?:
PRICELESS!
Kevin
I found a template form that will let all of us send emails/printed letters to your state senators. It automatically finds/sends them to your senators based upon your address. I did mine and I encourage others to do so as well.
http://capwiz.com/networklobby/issues/alert/?alertid=14174491&type=CO
fu-kyl
SO, what is there to debate about? It’s gonna cost more than that if they don’t hurry up and pass the bill. Perhaps the number crunchers up there in the CBO can give the American people the cost to every family in America on how much the Senate is costing them by stalling on this bill!!
B Wright
By the way, that’s $24 per family, per year… or to break the math down for the republicans that are blocking this bill… $2 per month… to help millions of (formerly) hard-working Americans survive until they can find work again.
UnemployedWV
Just how much did it cost each taxpaying American to bail out AIG, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac or GM or Chrysler? How much did it cost each taxpaying American for this last pay raise congress just voted itself?
BCM
READ AND CALL YOUR REPUBLICANS ALL DAY LONG!!!!!: GOP Blocks Extension of Unemployment Insurance (Again)
ast week, Senate Democratic leaders rolled out a proposal to extend unemployment insurance by 14 weeks — with an extra six weeks thrown in for those states where jobless figures have topped 8.5 percent — only to have Republicans block the measure on the chamber floor.
Well, today it happened again.
According to the office of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), Democrats on Tuesday asked for consent to pass the bill, only to be shot down by GOP leaders.
The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Republicans aren’t objecting to the extension, but to how it’s funded. (The Democrats’ plan would tap an expiring surtax on businesses, while the Republicans want to use unspent money from the stimulus bill.)
The House has already passed its version of the extension. With unemployment numbers creeping up each month, the pressure’s on the Senate to work out a deal quickly.
BCM
I hereby pledge that I will never vote for a Republican again if they don’t change their votes for the Unemployment extension NOW TODAY… Call your republican Senators and let them know that simple statement. Call all day long… I also registered Independent for the first time in my 50 Yrs… I am pissed and I will not forget before election time. I guess we can move to China and get one of our jobs..
Gina
It’s amazing how one can survive each day on 2 cups of coffee and a can of kidney beans for supper. At least with Unemployment I can juggle my bills.Please pass this bill- because there is NO help for a single adult living in Ohio.
UnemployedWV
How much is it going to cost us to bail out the banks again when the “Cash for Clunkers” cars start to be repossessed in 6 months?
BCM
CALL CALL CALL… All day… fill their answering machines. Give them something to listen to after their 3 day weekend. I am half way through the Anti-American Worker Republican List Please pass the bill now…If passed now it will be mid Nov before anyone sees anything.
Gary
The Senate Republicans are out of touch, delusional and not serving the people. Truly failure of government at a time of its citizens’ highest need.
The two clueless Republicans holding up the unemployment extension are Jon Kyle from Arizona (202) 224-4521 and Orrin Hatch from Utah (202) 224-5251.
ca
Actually, they are speaking for a bunch of Republican Senators, Jon Kyle as the Minority Whip… so yes we need to keep calling them and all the other Repub Senators..
link:http://unemployed-friends.forumotion.com/unemployment-extensions-and-legislation-f3/repubs-contact-s-t439.htm or go to senate.gov
Kyl’s # in Arizona
l602-840-1891
520-575-8633(reached staff person)
Mitch McConnell Republican Minority Leader
(202) 224-2541
The White House:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/
Comments: 202-456-1111
Switchboard: 202-456-1414
FAX: 202-456-2461
ca
Article by Senator Kristen Gillibrand
Republicans Must Stop Playing Politics, October 19,2009
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rep-kirsten-gillibrand/republicans-must-stop-pla_b_325822.html
UnemployedWV
“If your neighbor’s house is on fire, you lend him a garden hose.”
Franklin D. Roosevelt
mark t
“We will not know true peace until the power of love overcomes our love of power.”
James Hendrix
Cathy
After reading all the comments..I have to thank each of the responders for the time and effort you have given, to make those of us that are unemployed, feel like our fellow Americans really do care about our situation. Hopefully, our elected officials maybe will also read and someday there will be a job for US!
Thank you..Thank you..Thank you.
God Bless You ALL!
Rhonda
We teach people how to treat us , Maybe we need to keep the 2010 2012 elections on our minds, I do think there some good people in office I take issue when they say this isnt what the people want