November 5, 2009

 Washington, DC—Nevada Senator Harry Reid made the following statement today after the House passed unemployment insurance legislation which included an extension of the Homebuyer Tax Credit:  

“Relief is on the way to millions of American families who are struggling to find work in our recovering economy.  With today’s action by the House, we are a step closer to extending unemployment insurance for out-of-work Americans by up to 14 weeks – and up to 20 weeks in states like Nevada that have been hit the hardest.
 
“The National Employment Law Center estimates that as of September of this year, more than 5,000 Nevadans had exhausted their unemployment insurance benefits.  Had we failed to act, that number could have easily surpassed 14,000 by the end of this year.  I am hopeful that our action on this issue provides a jolt to the people in my home state of Nevada and all across the country who are still looking for work in this difficult economic environment.
 
“We are also extending and expanding the Homebuyer Tax Credit, which has been beneficial in bringing stability to the housing market.  As I’ve said before, no state has been hit harder by foreclosures than Nevada, and this program brings hope to all Nevadans who want to pursue the American dream of home ownership.
 
“I’ve repeatedly expressed my disappointment in their narrow-minded political calculations pursued by Senate Republicans.  Their stalling tactics allowed 200,000 additional Americans to lose their unemployment benefits.  But today, we’ll focus on the positive impact of this legislation for out-of-work Americans who don’t have time for the political games that Republicans seem determined to play.  I look forward to standing with the President when he signs this bill into law.”