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

Washington, DC – Senator Jay Rockefeller today voted to provide additional unemployment benefits to help West Virginia families who are struggling to find new jobs.

“This relief is absolutely necessary to make sure that the unemployment benefits for more than 3,800 West Virginians don’t run out during the holiday season when it is especially difficult to find a new job. This extension will bring some peace of mind to families who are struggling with the pressures of making ends meet while also looking for a good-paying job,” Rockefeller said. “But this is just a temporary fix to a much larger economic downturn. We need to get people working again and creating good-paying jobs – the kind of jobs that promote economic development in our communities.”

“Just today we learned that more American families are filing for unemployment than any time in the last 16 years. For the sake of those families who are struggling to make ends meet, I encourage the President to sign this bill as soon as possible,” Rockefeller said.

Currently, unemployment benefits run out after 26 weeks. It’s estimated that by the end of this year, nearly 3,800 West Virginians will have their benefits expire. It’s also predicted that nearly 6,100 families will seek unemployment benefits before June, 2009.