| 00:00:00 | AND EFFORT IN TRYING TO PRONOUNCE NEVADA CORRECTLY. |
| 00:00:04 | I ASSURE HER THE NEXT TIME I'M CERTAIN. |
| 00:00:06 | IT IS AN HONOR TO BE HERE IN FRONT OF YOU AND SEND SOME TIME TALKING ABOUT THESE UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS THAT WE HAVE IN FRONT OF US TODAY. |
| 00:00:13 | WE HAD SOME UNFORTUNATE INFORMATION COME OUT OF THE ADMINISTRATION AND THE UNEMPLOYMENT NUMBERS FOR THE LAST MONTH ACTUALLY PICKED UP IN THE STATE OF NEVADA. |
| 00:00:24 | RIGHT NOW THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IN THE STATE OF NEVADA IS 14. |
| 00:00:30 | 2%. IN THE CITY OF LAS VEGAS THAT UNEMPLOYMENT NUMBER IS 14. |
| 00:00:34 | 5%. THAT IS THE WORST UNEMPLOYMENT FROM -- IN ANY PLACE ACROSS THIS NATION. |
| 00:00:40 | SO VERY DISHEARTENING. |
| 00:00:42 | THE QUESTION I GET, I HAVE, IS WHO DO WE HOLD RESPONSIBLE? |
| 00:00:46 | WHO DO WE HOLD RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FAILED ECONOMIC POLICIES OF THIS CONGRESS AND THIS ADMINISTRATION? |
| 00:00:52 | AND I WANT TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THE UNEMPLOYED ARE THE ONES THAT SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THESE FAILURES. |
| 00:01:00 | DESPITE THE PROMISES FROM THIS ADMINISTRATION THAT A STIMULUS BILL WOULD CAP UNEMPLOYMENT AT 8% OR SEEING ACROSS THIS NATION NUMBERS MUCH HIGHER THAN THAT. |
| 00:01:14 | WE ARE CONTINUING TO SEE NEVADA GROW FROM 10%, 11%, 12%, AND NOW 14. |
| 00:01:20 | 2%. IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE AN IMMEDIATE JOLT. |
| 00:01:22 | CLEARLY IT DIDN'T HAPPEN. |
| 00:01:23 | THE TRUTH IS THE STIMULUS HAS FAILED THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AND THE PEOPLE OF THE GREAT STATE OF DEAF -- NEVADA. |
| 00:01:29 | I WANT TO READ A LETTER I RECEIVED FROM A CONSTITUENT, HEIDE WRITES, I IMMEDIATE YOU TO TRY TO UNDERSTAND JUST HOW DIFFICULT THINGS ARE FOR SOME IF NOT MOST OF US STILL UNEMPLOYED HERE IN THE LOVELY STATE OF NEVADA. |
| 00:01:45 | I HAVE BEEN UNEMPLOYED FOR JUST ABOUT SIX MONTHS NOW. |
| 00:01:47 | MY HUSBAND WAS LAID OFF BACK IN NOVEMBER. |
| 00:01:50 | RECENTLY TOOK A JOB FOR CONSIDERABLY LESS AMOUNT JUST TO GET A JOB. |
| 00:01:57 | I HAVE BEEN ON SEVERAL INTERVIEWS, FILLED OUT COUNTLESS APPLICATIONS, AND SENT MY RESUME TO COUNTLESS COMPANIES. |
| 00:02:03 | SHE WORKED FOR THE SAME COMPANY FOR SIX YEARS. |
| 00:02:06 | HER HUSBAND LAID OFF AFTER WORKING FOR 13 YEARS. |
| 00:02:11 | IT JUST GOES TO EXPAND THE FAILED POLICIES THAT WE ARE SEEING HERE IN THIS CONGRESS, COMING OUT OF THIS CONGRESS AND THIS ADMINISTRATION. |
| 00:02:23 | MR. |
| 00:02:24 | HASTINGS: I WOULD EXTEND TIME IF HE WOULD ANSWER A QUESTION. |
| 00:02:27 | I YIELD 15 SECONDS TO THE |
Mr. HELLER. I appreciate the gentlewoman's extending some time.
Mr. Speaker, it is an honor to be here in front of you and to spend some time talking about these unemployment benefits that we have in front of us today.
We had some, of course, unfortunate information come out of the administration as to the unemployment numbers for the last month. They actually went up in the State of Nevada. Right now, the unemployment rate in the State of Nevada is at 14.2 percent. In the city of Las Vegas, that unemployment number is at 14.5 percent. That is the worst unemployment of any place across this Nation, so it is very disheartening. The question, I guess, that I have, Mr. Speaker, is: Who do we hold responsible? Who do we hold responsible for the failed economic policies of this Congress and this administration? I want to make it clear that I do not believe that the unemployed are the ones who should be held accountable for these failures. Despite the promises from this administration that a stimulus bill would cap unemployment at 8 percent, we are seeing across this Nation numbers much higher than that. We continue to see Nevada grow from 10 percent, 11 percent, 12 percent, and now to 14.2 percent. It was supposed to be an immediate jolt. Clearly, it didn't happen. The truth is the stimulus has failed the American people and the people of the great State of Nevada.
I want to read a letter that I received recently from one of my constituents, Heidi, from the city of Sparks, Nevada.
She writes, ``I need you to really try and understand just how difficult things are for some, if not most of us, still unemployed here in the lovely State of Nevada.
[Time: 10:50] ``I have been unemployed for just about 6 months now. My husband was laid off back in November, recently took a job for a considerably less amount just to get a job. I have been on several interviews, filled out countless applications, and sent my resume to countless companies.'' Heidi worked for the same company for 6 years, her husband, laid off after working 13 years.
It just goes to expand the failed policies that we're seeing here in this Congress, coming out of this Congress and coming out of the administration.