THIS IS A PRESS RELEASE FROM THE OFFICE OF UNITED STATES SENATOR JAY ROCKEFELLER.

Washington, DC – Last night, Senator Jay Rockefeller voted to provide an emergency 13-week extension for unemployment benefits to help West Virginia families who are struggling to find new jobs in an economy that continues to sour. Nearly 14,000 West Virginians could be eligible for the additional benefits in the next nine months.

“This additional help will provide a much needed cushion to those families who continue to stretch what little savings they have to afford gas, put food on the table, pay the utility bills, and meet their mortgage payments,” Rockefeller said. “Obviously, I wish we could have done more. But this is a good first step because not only will we help our families, but they’ll be spending the money at our local businesses to help jump start the economy.”

Currently, unemployment benefits run out after 26 weeks. The measure that passed last night would provide an additional 13 weeks of assistance that would be paid solely by the federal government. It’s estimated that the additional money being spent by the recipients could inject nearly $8 billion into the national economy.

For several weeks, President Bush resisted calls from Senator Rockefeller and his colleagues to approve the extension. The President said the measure was too costly and that the economy was showing signs of improving. After weeks of pressure, he relented and will sign the measure into law soon.

“Food and gas prices, even utility bills, are going up –and there doesn’t appear to be any relief on the horizon. This measure will provide a little peace of mind to those who are being swamped under this tidal wave,” Rockefeller said. “It’s absolutely mystifying to me that the President thinks that the economy is somehow headed on a course to improvement. I’m glad he finally changed his mind.”

The unemployment measure was included as part of a larger supplemental spending package that also funded ongoing military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, and expanded veterans’ educational benefits.