Bill would extend HIRE Act provisions that led to 70,000 jobs in Nevada

August 4, 2010

Washington, D.C. -- Nevada Senator Harry Reid today announced that he's co-sponsoring a bill that would help long-term unemployed Nevadans by providing 20 additional weeks of unemployment benefits, extending the HIRE Act payroll relief tax through next year, and doubling the per employee tax credit for businesses that retain long-term unemployed workers for at least one year.  The Americans Want to Work Act, which Reid is co-sponsoring with Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), was introduced today.

"Long-term unemployed Nevadans desperately need this help," Reid said.  "The measures in this bill will strengthen, enhance, and extend programs that have helped strengthen Nevada's economy by encouraging businesses to hire unemployed Nevadans. I encourage my Republican colleagues to support this bill that will help put Nevadans back to work and help businesses begin to thrive again."

Earlier this week, the Treasury Department announced that nearly 70,000 Nevadans had been hired because of the HIRE Act, which Reid led to passage in March.

Specifically, the bill would:

• Provide 20 weeks of additional unemployment compensation for those who have expired their unemployment benefits and who live in states with an unemployment rate of 7.5% or higher
• Extend the HIRE Act payroll tax relief (6.2%) through 2011
• Increase the $1,000 per employee income tax credit to $2,000 for businesses who retained a long-term unemployed worker for at least one year, which is also part of the HIRE Act.

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