The Bellingham Business Journal

On Oct. 20, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) delivered a speech on the U.S. Senate floor on the need to pass an extension of Emergency Unemployment Insurance (UI) for thousands of Washington state residents who are out of work.

In her speech, Sen. Murray described the struggles of some of the Washington state residents who have contacted her on the need for this extension. The stories include unemployed Washingtonians who have had to sell their belongings, can no longer afford their mortgage, and whose unemployment is running out.

An extension of unemployment benefits will likely be voted on in the Senate this week. The Senate is currently considering extending unemployment benefits for those who have exhausted or will exhaust their payments for 14 weeks in every state, and an additional 6 weeks for states, including Washington state, that have been particularly impacted by unemployment.

Washington state estimates that by the end of the year up to 18,000 Washington state residents could qualify for an additional 20 weeks of unemployment if this bill passes.