CÁRDENAS FIGHTS FOR JOBS FOR LONG-TERM UNEMPLOYED AMERICANS
CÁRDENAS FIGHTS FOR JOBS FOR LONG-TERM UNEMPLOYED AMERICANS
(Washington, DC) -- U.S. Rep. Tony Cárdenas offered an amendment Monday that could have potentially put thousands of long-term unemployed American workers back to work. The amendment was to be added to H.R. 3301, the North American Energy Infrastructure (NAEI) Act.
The NAEI Act would eliminate a presidential permit as a requirement for oil and natural gas pipelines that cross international borders.
Cárdenas’ amendment would require companies receiving this benefit to make at least 51 percent of their new hires from the millions of Americans who have been unemployed for more than 26 weeks.
“Congress will be picking winners and losers in the energy marketplace with this legislation,” said Cárdenas. “We are giving handouts to huge companies at the expense of our environment. However, if Congress is going subsidize the wealthy, I demand we do as much as we can for the little guy; the American who has been sitting at home, through no fault of their own, who can’t find a job because they’re unemployed. The idea that unemployment is a good reason not to hire is ridiculous. We have the opportunity to help solve a small part of this problem with my amendment.”
Unfortunately, the amendment was not allowed by the House Rules Committee.
This amendment is not Cárdenas’ first attempt to help the long-term unemployed. Last year, the California Democrat, Cárdenas, joined a Tea Party Republican, Mick Mulvaney of South Carolina, to introduce legislation providing assistance for long-term unemployed Americans to move in their search for work.
If passed, the American Worker Mobility Act would provide a voucher to help long-term unemployed Americans move from high unemployment areas to regions of their state, or of the nation, where unemployment is lower and companies are seeking qualified applicants for open jobs.
-30-