Statement by the President Upon Signing Bill Increasing Unemployment Compensation Benefits in the District of Columbia.

THIS NEW LAW makes the first major improvement in more than 10 years in the amount and duration of District of Columbia unemployment compensation benefits. It increases maximum benefits from $20 a week to $30 and increases the outside limit on duration of benefits from 20 to 26 weeks.

The Act still is not the model law I should like to see for the District of Columbia, due to such features as an alternative limitation of benefits to one-third of the workers' past year's earnings, and certain stringent disqualification provisions; but such defects will be the subject of amendment at the next session of the Congress, so the process of improvement started by this legislation will continue to be carried forward.