Today, 1.3 million Americans are currently depending on unemployment benefits. However, the problem is that unemployment benefits stopped at the end of 2013.  Those 1.3 million Americans were barely getting by with the benefits, but now they are struggling even more.  It has been a month and they have received nothing. Congress is currently on a week long paid recess and nothing is being done.  Congress should extend unemployment benefits into 2014 because so many people depend on them.

America’s economy hasn’t been doing well since the late 2000s and it is not doing much better right now.  Companies have been laying off workers who need the income to support their families. Companies have also had to raise the price of their goods or services recently so they do not go under which in turn, makes it even worse for the unemployed Americans.

Unemployment benefits in America typically have a duration of 26 weeks, but can extend up to 99 weeks with the average weekly pay for the unemployment benefits being $293.  The amount one would receive for compensation is generally based off of their income from the last five fiscal quarters. On average, it costs $12,863 per year or $247 per week per person to live in  the Unites States. The $293 clearly meets this cost, yet that’s only for one person, and unemployment benefits only last six months for most unemployed Americans according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

$293 per week can only go so far, especially if one needs to support a family.  However,  it is better than nothing. Congress needs to bring back unemployment benefits so people will be able to support themselves.

Keep in mind that unemployment benefits are only granted to people who lost their job at no fault of their own.  They cannot get the benefits if they were fired for misconduct or if they quit their job on their own accord.  The people who receive the benefits are constantly looking for a job so they can get off of the benefits and that is no easy task in this economy.  Today, 7.3 percent of Americans are unemployed according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.  Being a stay at home parent or a teenager who relies on their parents income is not considered being unemployed.  Being unemployed means that one has lost their job and are actively searching for a new one.

Congress needs to realize that they cannot postpone their decision anymore.  People are relying on these benefits to come back so that they can survive.  Congress needs to get it together so that these people and America as a whole can get back on track.  They should also grant the people who need the unemployment benefits compensation for the month of January because they have received nothing.

Some may say that these unemployed people just need to get a job and that they need to stop feeding off of others’ tax dollars.  They may not realize it, but these people are actively seeking for work and being unemployed is not their fault.  Congress needs to reinstate the unemployment benefits so that unemployed and struggling Americans can survive.