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Statement About Signing a Bill Extending the Emergency Unemployment Compensation Act of 1971

July 01, 1972

I AM pleased to have signed H.R. 15587 which extends for an additional 6 months the Emergency Unemployment Compensation Act of 1971.

This bill provides up to 13 extra weeks of unemployment compensation for workers who have exhausted their benefits in States where unemployment remains high.

Despite dramatic increases in employment nationally--from 78.8 million jobs in May 1971 to 81.4 million jobs in May 1972--some areas of stubborn unemployment continue to persist, largely because of a continuing shift of expenditures from defense and defense-related industries to domestic needs.

I am deeply concerned with the economic well-being of all American workers. While the economy is showing encouraging signs of growth, the anticipated reduction in unemployment is taking more time in some areas and, therefore, a temporary continuation of emergency unemployment compensation benefits is needed.

When I signed the Emergency Unemployment Compensation Act of 1971 last December, I called attention to the serious deficiency in the financing of that bill.1 I pointed out that it was a departure from the usual principle under which our unemployment insurance programs have operated since the 1930's.

1 See 1971 volume, Item 419.

I am gratified that the Congress, in responding to my request for extending this legislation, accepted my suggestions that it should be properly financed.

I am pleased that we can provide this extended eligibility to our unemployed American workers.

Note: As enacted, H.R. 15587, approved June 30, 1972, is Public Law 92-329 (86 Stat.398).

Richard Nixon, Statement About Signing a Bill Extending the Emergency Unemployment Compensation Act of 1971 Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/254616

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