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Congressman Paul Tonko (NY-20) took action this afternoon to force an up-or-down vote on key legislation that would extend emergency unemployment benefits for more than 2 million Americans and 200,000 veterans. Tonko signed a discharge petition to bring to a vote the Emergency Unemployment Compensation Extension Act (H.R. 3546), which extends these benefits for long term unemployed Americans.

“It is unconscionable to continue to deny a vital lifeline to those who lost their job through no fault of their own,” said Tonko. “Those who collect these benefits need this support as they pound the pavement and look for their next job. Due to Congressional inaction, more than 178,000 New Yorkers have had the rug pulled out from underneath them and $288 million has been sucked out of the state economy. All we want is a vote. Now is the time for action.”

In January, Tonko spoke with New Yorkers who are directly affected by Congressional inability to act for more than 2 million Americans. To qualify for emergency unemployment benefits, applicants must prove they are actively searching for a job.

“No one wants these benefits to be necessary, which is why I continue to urge Speaker Boehner and House leadership to abandon political messaging bills and work to pass meaningful legislation that promotes economic growth and puts people back to work,” Tonko added.

The number of people who have lost their unemployment benefits as a result of the program’s Dec. 28 expiration surpassed two million last week, according to a new analysis from Ways and Means Committee Democrats.  Every week, 72,000 people, on average, are losing their unemployment benefits nationwide without an extension of the program.

Last month, a Senate measure to extend the program came one vote shy of the 60 votes necessary to move legislation forward, which prompted House Democrats to file a discharge petition to promote action in the House of Representatives.

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