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Congressman Garamendi’s Statement after GOP Senator Coburn Blocked a Needed Unemployment Benefits Extension

March 27, 2010

WALNUT CREEK, CA – Congressman John Garamendi (D-Walnut Creek, CA) today issued the following statement after Senator Tom Coburn (R-Oklahoma) blocked a stopgap bill that would have provided a one-month extension of unemployment insurance, COBRA health coverage, and federal flood insurance.

"Once again, Republican Senators are playing games with the lives of people struggling in this economy," Congressman Garamendi said. "How many rent checks will be undelivered, how many serious medical ailments will be untreated, because Senator Coburn and his GOP colleagues in the Senate prefer theatre over doing their jobs? When we return to Congress after the two-week district work period, this delay in needed unemployment insurance and health benefits must not stand, and the representatives actually interested in helping the American people will do all we can to recoup lost payments."

Because of the maneuvers of Senator Coburn and Senate Republicans, COBRA health benefits and federal flood insurance will expire on March 30th. Extended unemployment benefits will expire on April 5th. In early March, Senator Jim Bunning (R-Kentucky) caused a similar delay in unemployment insurance with the backing of his leadership.