To amend title 11, United States Code, to provide an additional bankruptcy judge for the eastern district of California, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, people in New Mexico are hurting. Since January 2001, the unemployment rate in my state has risen to 5.9 percent. While every single person on unemployment would rather have a job, until the economy reverses, we in Congress have a moral obligation to help the jobless make ends meet. The extension will help nearly 5,000 New Mexicans who still have not found jobs, and were scheduled to exhaust their Federal benefits at the end of this month.

We have been calling for this type of legislation for weeks, and I applaud the Majority for finally doing what is right. Unfortunately, although they have done what's right, they haven't done enough in this bill to help all Americans who are out of work.

Last year, because of the failed economic policies of this administration, Congress was forced to enact the Temporary Extension of Unemployment Compensation (TEUC) bill. Sadly, though, the need has only increased since then. The economy has actually gotten worse since Congress passed TEUC in March 2002.

The number of unemployed (8.79 million) is at the highest level in nearly a decade. The unemployment rate rose to 6.0 percent in April, compared to 5.7 percent when TEUC was enacted in March 2003 and when the program was extended in January of this year. The number of payroll jobs fell for the third straight month in April; unemployment is now 2.1 million below its level when the recession began. Long-term unemployment also continues to get worse.

Unemployment benefits provide an economic lifeline for families struggling to find work and boost an ailing economy. People are losing their jobs, looking for work, and finding none.

It is unfortunate that the House leadership waited so long to bring up this bill. It is also unfortunate that the House leadership has refused us a vote on the Democratic alternative--yet again.

While I will vote for this bill because it is critical to the millions of Americans who have lost

their jobs in the last two years, we should be doing more. This plan leaves over one million unemployed behind, and fails to provide them the benefits they need to put food on the table, clothes on their backs, and a roof over their heads.

We also should be extending this benefit for 26 weeks, not just 13. Although the bill provides that in high unemployment states jobless workers would be eligible for 13 more weeks--in addition to the 13 extra weeks available to all jobless workers who have exhausted their 26 weeks of regular benefits--the entire country is in need of this assistance. Because of the strict requirements for a state to qualify as a high unemployment state under this program, only six states currently qualify--Alaska, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Oregon, Pennsylvania and Washington. We should pass the full Democratic package immediately to help everyone seeking work, not just the few.

Research shows that during previous recessions, the stimulative power of unemployment benefits saved an average of 131,000 jobs and slowed the drop in the Gross Domestic Product by 15 percent. National studies have shown that $1 in unemployment insurance leads to $2.15 worth of economic growth.

Every week without unemployment insurance benefits, states lose $200 million in cash--cash that in all likelihood would be spent at the local grocery store and the local gas station. Indeed, a recent study by Economy.com, an independent financial research group, found that the single most effective stimulus measure would be further extension of emergency Federal unemployment insurance benefits.

Mr. Speaker, this legislation unfortunately is long overdue, and very necessary. I urge my colleagues to vote for H.R. 2158, and quickly send this legislation to the Senate to ensure these benefits continue uninterrupted.