99ers is a colloquial term for unemployed people in the United States, mostly citizens, who have exhausted all of their unemployment benefits, including all unemployment extensions. As a result of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act passed by Congress in February 2009, unemployed people could receive up to 99 weeks of unemployment insurance benefits, hence the name "99ers". An estimated 7 million people are affected.
The term 99ers has also been interpreted of those in the bottom 99% of the population by income or Wealth, as opposed to those in the top 1% by wealth or income who have been known to possess about a third of all wealth in the economy, enraging those who thought the one-percenters were not suffering the effects of the Great Recession proportionately to the "99ers" even though the "1%er's" actions and decisions were commonly thought to cause it. Which is what gave rise to the occupy movement.NBC News News, NBC News Article on "99ers"AOL News , AOL News Article on "99ers"ABC News, ABC News Video on "99ers"Economics Policy Institute, EPI article on "99ers", Mike Shedlock's blog, describing estimation methodology
Unemployment benefits United States unemployment benefits during the Great Recession were calculated as follows (with the availability of extensions dependent on a state's unemployment rate (see: Bureau of Labor Statistics):
Unemployment Benefits # of Weeks Regular Unemployment Insurance Benefits 26NY Dept. of Labor , Unemployment Benefits Info Emergency Unemployment Compensation Tier 1 20U.S. Dept. of Labor, Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) Program PDF Emergency Unemployment Compensation Tier 2 14 Emergency Unemployment Compensation Tier 3 13 Emergency Unemployment Compensation Tier 4 6 Extended Benefits (13 weeks + 7 additional) 20U.S. Dept. of Labor, Unemployment Insurance Extended Benefits Total Number of Weeks 99
Legislation
Legislation to extend unemployment benefits had been blocked from coming to a vote on the floor of the Senate through minority Republican filibuster or holds. This began in February 2010 with the block of an unemployment benefit funding bill vote for already authorized and granted unemployment checks for those who had not exhausted their benefits by a single Senator, Jim Bunning (R-KY).Politico, Sen. Jim Bunning holds floor, Politico (February 2010)
Following that precedent, Senate floor votes on unemployment have required a supermajority of sixty votes to bring the bills to the floor. Bunning's position was that he wanted the bill paid for out of previously allocated funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Senators who did not initially support Bunning's position since used this argument to block or delay votes on unemployment extensions that could not achieve a supermajority to reach the floor for a vote.The Hill, Unemployment extension should have been paid for (Sen. Mike Johanns) The Hill
Economists have cited that unemployment should not have the requirement of being paid for out of an existing stimulus package because it is stimulative and, therefore, to take away allocated funds from other projects would have a self-canceling effect.Center on Budget and Policy Priorities , The Four Pieces of Effective Fiscal Stimulus Unemployment Insurance, State Relief, Food Stamps, and Tax Refunds, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
The passage of the bill to fund eligible (non-exhausted) unemployment benefits required a special appointment of a replacement senator, Carte Goodwin, by West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin, after the death of Senator Robert Byrd (D-WV), whose vote was needed for the supermajority. This gave the Senate its 60th vote for the legislation and the funds were released to the states to pay unemployment compensation to those who were eligible and who had not yet exhausted benefits as of July 2010.Associated Press, Checks are coming: Obama signs unemployment bill, AP (22 July 2010)
The passage of the bill did not provide for those who exhausted their benefits, the 99ers.
On August 4, 2010, Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) introduced a bill (S.3706) to extend unemployment past 99 weeks. The bill was referred to the Senate Finance Committee prior to the Senate breaking for their summer vacation.
The Americans Want to Work Act (S.3706)
A Senate bill introduced by Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) on August 4, 2010, will, if passed, benefit those who have exhausted all of their benefits by providing an additional 20 weeks of unemployment benefits under a Tier 5. The bill has an unemployment rate threshold of 7.5% which requires states to have an unemployment rate at 7.5% or higher to qualify. The bill was announced by Senator Stabenow on MSNBC's The Ed Schultz Show (video).The Ed Shultz Show, NBC News News, Senator Stabenow Announces 99er Bill The bill is co-sponsored by Senators Charles Schumer (D-NY), Harry Reid (D-NV), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Carl Levin (D-MI), Bob Casey, Jr. (D-PA), Christopher Dodd (D-CT), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Jack Reed (D-RI), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI).S.3706 Senator Stabenow Press Release , S.3706 Senator Stabenow Press Release
The proposed bill was designed to help 99ers by: Creating an additional tier of benefits for those who have exhausted their unemployment insurance. Extends the HIRE Act payroll tax exemption through the end of 2011. Doubles the general business tax credit to encourage businesses to hire the hardest hit Americans.
Tier 5 Unemployment Insurance (Under S.3706 Bill): What it does: Provides 20 weeks of additional unemployment insurance for states with 7.5% or higher unemployment. This tier will benefit the people who have exhausted all of their benefits.
Retroactive Eligibility: Would apply retroactively to everyone who has exhausted all of their previous tiers in recent months. However, benefits would not be paid retroactively. (Example: a claimant who exhausted his or her benefits three months ago would be eligible to begin Tier 5 at the date of enactment. He or she would not, however, be paid out for the three months in which no benefits were received. If a claimant is going to exhaust benefits in two weeks, he or she will move right onto Tier 5 and receive 20 weeks of benefits.)
Requirements: People who are unemployed still need to meet current UI law requirements such as job searches.
On August 10, 2010, Representative Shelley Berkley (D-NV) introduced a House bill (H.R. 6901) to extend benefits for another 20 additional weeks for states whose unemployment rate exceeds 10 percent:
The Emergency Unemployment Compensation Act (H.R. 6091) A House bill introduced by Representative Shelley Berkley (D-NV-1) on August 10, 2010, will, if passed, benefit those who have exhausted all of their benefits by providing an additional 20 weeks of unemployment benefits under a Tier 5. The bill has an unemployment rate threshold of 10% which requires states to have an unemployment rate at 10% or higher to qualify. The bill is co-sponsored by Representatives Michael F. Doyle (D, PA-14), Bob Filner (D, CA-51), Barney Frank (D, MA-4), Phil Hare (D, IL-17), Dale Kildee (D, MI-5), Carolyn Kilpatrick (D, MI-13), John Lewis (D, GA-5), Jim McDermott (D, WA-7), Laura Richardson (D, CA-37), Linda Sánchez (D, CA-39), Janice Schakowsky (D, IL-9) and Diane Watson (D, CA-33).Berkley.House.Gov , Shelly Berkley (H.R. 6091) Press Release
Media coverage in 2010 CNN did a series of stories regarding 99ers.Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine:
News reports and interviews have been presented by various media outlets that include The New York Times, The Washington Post and PBS's NewsHour. The 99er cause has been championed by Ed Schultz on his MSNBC television show, where he lashed out at Congress, and hosted the announcement of Senator Stabenow's 99er bill on his MSNBC television show (video) and his radio programThe Ed Schultz Radio Show The Ed Schultz Radio Show's Stabenow Announcement on 99ers, August 4, 2010 and by Rachel Maddow on her television program where she replayed negative statements about the unemployed by Sharron Angle, Senator Jon Kyl (R-AZ), Rep. Steve King, (R-IA), Rep. Dean Heller (R-NV), Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer (R-SC). Examiner
Both The New York Times and PBS NewsHour have covered the story.PBS NewsHour, PBS Video on "99ers"
On July 19, 2010, The Daily Beast published "Get America Back to Work" which has gathered signatures"Get America Back to Work" The Daily Beast, 100 Signatures of prominent economists, academics, journalists and historians, including five Nobel Prize Laureates, in support of a statement calling for further stimulus to deal with long-term unemployment, citing Keynesian economics in support of their position:The Daily Beast, Get America Back to Work, The Daily Beast The article was signed by one hundred prominent economists, historians, academics and journalists, including: Joseph Stiglitz, Alan Blinder, John Cassidy, Lizabeth Cohen, Jim Hoge, Robert Reich, Richard Parker, Laura Tyson, Sir Harold Evans, Sean Wilentz, Kenneth Arrow, Peter Beinart, Sidney Blumenthal, Nancy Folbre, Simon Schama and Robert Solow (list).
On August 15, 2010, The Plain Dealer (Cleveland, Ohio) published an article entitled "They're Known as 'the 99ers,' and their numbers are growing in Ohio and nationwide".The Plain Dealer, They're known as 'the 99ers,' and their numbers are growing in Ohio and nationwide, The Plain Dealer
In December 2010 the BBC ran a story about the 99ers titled "What happens when your unemployment benefits stop?" The article included the views of Heidi Shierholz "We can kick people off and it will certainly make people more desperate to find a job. But in a labour market like this it's not going to make them more likely to find a job because the jobs aren't there."
Controversy
Republican legislators insisted that additional unemployment benefits be paid for out of existing funds. This is a departure from how unemployment benefits have been funded in the past.
Democratic supporters of additional unemployment extensions have pointed out that Republicans who are calling for unemployment benefits to be paid for out of existing funds are, in some cases, the same legislators who insist the Bush tax cuts be renewed without funding. Republicans have countered the Bush tax cuts are stimulative and therefore do not require funding.ABC News, Bachmann: Pay for Unemployment Benefits, Not Tax Cuts, ABC News (July 2010)
The requirement of a supermajority to bring bills to the floor has led to heated and controversial comments, including this exchange between Senators Jim Bunning (R-KY) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR), where Senator Merkley asked Senator Bunning to stop his repeated blocks of a unanimous consent motion to extend unemployment benefits, to which Senator Bunning replied: "Tough shit."Huffington Post (26 February 2010), Politico, Jim Bunning Repeatedly Blocks Unemployment Benefits Extension, Huffington Post, Politico
Several other politicians, lawmakers and commentators have made controversial statements portraying the long-term unemployed as lazy, unwilling to work or on drugs,Washington Monthly, Washington Monthly: "Republicans Don't Like the Unemployed" while some in favor of long term unemployment benefits have called opponents pro-death and pro-child hunger.
Orrin Hatch proposed an amendment that would require unemployment beneficiaries to pass a drug test to qualify for programs: "Drugs are a scourge on our society – hurting children, families and communities alike. This amendment is a way to help people get off of drugs to become productive and healthy members of society, while ensuring that valuable taxpayer dollars aren't wasted."Sen. Hatch wants unemployed to face mandatory drug tests, Sen. Hatch wants unemployed to face mandatory drug tests, The Hill