S. 1747Senate113th Congress (2013-2015)In Committee

Emergency Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2013

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2 earlier actions

SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

Finance Committee

November 20, 2013

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

November 20, 2013

SenateIntro Referral

Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S8365)

November 20, 2013

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

Finance Committee

November 20, 2013

Floor Debate

2 members

What members said about S. 1747 on the floor

2 Democrats

Sen. Tim KaineD-VA · Nov 20, 2013

Mr. President, Ken Burns, paraphrasing Wallace Stegner, called the national parks ``America's best idea.'' This is true not just for the intrinsic value of these lands, but also for the economic…

Mr. President, Ken Burns, paraphrasing Wallace Stegner, called the national parks ``America's best idea.'' This is true not just for the intrinsic value of these lands, but also for the economic impact on rural communities across the country. Countless small business owners rely on outdoor recreational visitors for their livelihood.

Unfortunately, last month's government shutdown caused the visitors to stop. For 16 days this year, at the peak of the fall color season restaurants and hotels were empty. Roadside stands had no passers-by. Canoes and kayaks, hiking maps, and bait-and-tackle sat unsold on store shelves. One of my favorite places in Virginia, Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, saw not one but two major events cancelled: the reopening ceremony of the historic Assateague Lighthouse and the Chincoteague wild pony roundup. These events usually draw thousands of visitors. The pony roundup, in particular, also serves as a fundraiser for the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company. Unlike park rangers, the local businesses that rely on visitors got no backpay.

That is why I am introducing this legislation to suspend entrance fees at national parks and wildlife refuges for a period of 16 days, equal to the duration of the shutdown. The fee suspension leads up to National Park Week in April 2014. This will encourage more visitors to turn out to the parks and give area establishments time to publicize the free days and to drum up more business. The bill is deficit- neutral, and considering the breadth of the national park presence across the nation, I hope it will garner bipartisan support.

We must negotiate a workable path forward on the federal budget so that the American people are never again caught up in the middle of battles in Washington. No act of Congress can reimburse the hard- working business men and women around the nation who got hit by the shutdown, but I believe this bill will nudge a few more vacationers out of town to take in the natural beauty of our country and support the local economies while they're at it. Given the attention that national parks got during the shutdown, I also believe the American people deserve a larger conversation about the importance of maintaining our natural resources for future generations. I hope this bill will spur that discussion.

Sen. Jack ReedD-RI · Nov 20, 2013

Mr. President, today I am introducing the Emergency Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2013 to ensure that 1.3 million unemployed Americans, including 4,900 Rhode Islanders, will not lose…

Sen. Jack ReedD-RI · Nov 20, 2013

Mr. President, today I am introducing the Emergency Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2013 to ensure that 1.3 million unemployed Americans, including 4,900 Rhode Islanders, will not lose…

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Introduced in SenateIssued November 20, 2013

113th CONGRESS

1st Session

S. 1747

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

November 20, 2013

Mr. Reed (for himself, Ms. Stabenow, Mr. Harkin, and Mr. Whitehouse) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance

A BILL

To provide for the extension of certain unemployment benefits, and for other purposes.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Emergency Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2013.

Extension of emergency unemployment compensation program

(a)

Extension

Section 4007(a)(2) of the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2008 (Public Law 110–252; 26 U.S.C. 3304 note) is amended by striking January 1, 2014 and inserting January 1, 2015.

(b)

Funding

Section 4004(e)(1) of the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2008 (Public Law 110–252; 26 U.S.C. 3304 note) is amended—

(1)

in subparagraph (I), by striking and at the end;

(2)

in subparagraph (J), by inserting and at the end; and

(3)

by inserting after subparagraph (J) the following:

(K)

the amendments made by section 2(a) of the Emergency Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2013;

(c)

Effective date

The amendments made by this section shall take effect as if included in the enactment of the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 (Public Law 112–240).

Temporary extension of extended benefit provisions

(a)

In general

Section 2005 of the Assistance for Unemployed Workers and Struggling Families Act, as contained in Public Law 111–5 (26 U.S.C. 3304 note), is amended—

(1)

by striking December 31, 2013 each place it appears and inserting December 31, 2014; and

(2)

in subsection (c), by striking June 30, 2014 and inserting June 30, 2015.

(b)

Extension of matching for states with no waiting week

Section 5 of the Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2008 (Public Law 110–449; 26 U.S.C. 3304 note) is amended by striking June 30, 2014 and inserting June 30, 2015.

(c)

Extension of modification of indicators under the extended benefit program

Section 203 of the Federal-State Extended Unemployment Compensation Act of 1970 (26 U.S.C. 3304 note) is amended—

(1)

in subsection (d), by striking December 31, 2013 and inserting December 31, 2014; and

(2)

in subsection (f)(2), by striking December 31, 2013 and inserting December 31, 2014.

(d)

Effective date

The amendments made by this section shall take effect as if included in the enactment of the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 (Public Law 112–240).

Extension of funding for reemployment services and reemployment and eligibility assessment activities

(a)

In general

Section 4004(c)(2)(A) of the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2008 (Public Law 110–252; 26 U.S.C. 3304 note) is amended by striking through fiscal year 2014 and inserting through fiscal year 2015.

(b)

Effective date

The amendments made by this section shall take effect as if included in the enactment of the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 (Public Law 112–240).

Additional extended unemployment benefits under the railroad unemployment insurance act

(a)

Extension

Section 2(c)(2)(D)(iii) of the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act (45 U.S.C. 352(c)(2)(D)(iii)) is amended—

(1)

by striking June 30, 2013 and inserting June 30, 2014; and

(2)

by striking December 31, 2013 and inserting December 31, 2014.

(b)

Clarification on authority To use funds

Funds appropriated under either the first or second sentence of clause (iv) of section 2(c)(2)(D) of the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act shall be available to cover the cost of additional extended unemployment benefits provided under such section 2(c)(2)(D) by reason of the amendments made by subsection (a) as well as to cover the cost of such benefits provided under such section 2(c)(2)(D), as in effect on the day before the date of enactment of this Act.

(c)

Funding for administration

Out of any funds in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, there are appropriated to the Railroad Retirement Board $250,000 for administrative expenses associated with the payment of additional extended unemployment benefits provided under section 2(c)(2)(D) of the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act by reason of the amendments made by subsection (a), to remain available until expended.