[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement after the Senate passed an extension of unemployment insurance, providing much needed financial assistance to over 2.5 million unemployed Americans who have seen their benefits expire because of Republican obstruction:

“The extension of unemployment benefits literally means bread on the table and a roof over the heads of millions of families around the country who have fallen victim to this recession.

A dollar in the hand of an unemployed person is more than just a life line. Experts tell us, this money will be spent quickly, pump cash directly into the economy and, in turn, help create and retain other jobs.

Today, after much delay, we’ve said that we stand together as an American family and we take care of our own. Because of our actions, millions of Americans will get the help they desperately need.”

Today’s bill extends unemployment benefits through the end of November and will provide immediate relief for the portion of the 14.6 million unemployed Americans for whom unemployment assistance has needlessly expired, including more than 100,000 people in Illinois.