Snap Fact #105

In order to release assistance to 2.5 million Americans who lost their jobs in this recession, President Obama fought for and signed the Unemployment Compensation Act on July 22, 2010. By this time in his presidency, Obama was used to running up against the wall of resistance that the Republican House of Representatives had built between constructive legislation and their self-proclaimed agenda to do everything they could to destroy Obama's presidency. The President has pulled so many political rabbits out of the hat that unlikely victories such as the Unemployment Compensation Act go unknown or unremembered by friends and foes alike.  

The Act not only extended life saving benefits to hard working families whose breadwinner had lost their job through no fault of their own, other aspects of the legislation gave further support to these folks. One such additional benefit was that in order to encourage businesses to create more jobs, the President encouraged creating $4,000 tax credits for hiring the long-term unemployed.

In addition, employers were not allowed to discriminate against the unemployed during the hiring process. Here is what the President had to say himself on that July day when he signed the act. Statement by President Barack Obama on Signing the Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2010

"Today, I signed the unemployment insurance extension to restore desperately needed assistance to two and a half million Americans who lost their jobs in the recession. After a partisan minority used procedural tactics to block the authorization of this assistance three separate times over the past weeks, Americans who are fighting to find a good job and support their families will finally get the support they need to get back on their feet during these tough economic times. Now it’s time for Congress to act on more proposals that support our economic recovery, including passing critical aid to our states and support to small businesses. Small businesses are the engine of job growth, and measures to cut their taxes and make lending available should not be held hostage to partisan tactics like those that unconscionably held up unemployment insurance."