Hare: Senate Republicans Should Be Ashamed of Themselves

Congressman Phil Hare (D-IL) today released the following statement after Senate Republicans again blocked legislation that would create jobs and provide assistance to Americans that are suffering in the current recession.

"Senate Republicans should be ashamed of themselves. Denying unemployment insurance and COBRA assistance to Americans who are out of work through no fault of their own is simply cruel. It's cruel to the 80,000 people in Illinois that just lost their unemployment. But that's not all. Republican obstructionism is costing our citizens a summer jobs program that would put over 350,000 young people to work, an extension of national flood insurance that is critical to farmers, and aid for small businesses. The fact that Republicans are blocking these important lifelines during a recession is bad enough. Their objection on the grounds that it would add to the deficit adds insult to injury. This, of course, is the party that squandered record surpluses by pushing through tax cuts for millionaires and prosecuting a deadly misadventure in Iraq. For Republicans to suddenly get religion on fiscal responsibility when its ordinary people who need the help is the ultimate exercise in hypocrisy."