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CNN Live Sunday

Hillary Clinton Pushes to Extend Unemployment Benefits

Aired July 14, 2002 - 17:15   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York has proposed a bill to extend unemployment benefits for a second time to those affected by the September 11 attacks. CNN's Hillary Lane reports on why some see the need to prolong this lifeline.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HILLARY LANE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The line snaked around and around again at job fairs in the weeks after September 11. The attacks leaving an estimated 125,000 more people jobless in New York City, hundreds and thousands around the country.

One of those carrying a stack of resumes and high hopes was Virginia Watler, who lost her job with Merrill Lynch in December. Seven months later, Virginia divides every day between job retraining and job searching.

VIRGINIA WATLER, FORMER MERRILL LYNCH EMPLOYEE: That's what I'm going to start doing, though, actually going into the buildings, speaking to the people.

LANE (on camera): Truly pound the payment?

WATLER: Yeah. Right. Right.

LANE (voice-over): A recent study commissioned by a consortium of New York charities estimates 28,000 people here who lost their jobs after the attacks are still unemployed and need help. In March, Congress offered an additional 13 weeks of benefits to those whose six months of aid have run out. More than 100,000 New Yorkers applied. Now there's plan to do it again.

SEN. HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON (D), NEW YORK: This is not just seen as a New York issue, it's seen as a national issue, because this so- called recovery isn't generating any jobs.

LANE (on camera): There are recent examples when the government has stepped in to help the unemployed. During the recession in the early 1990s when unemployment soared into the low double digits, Congress extended benefits four times.

(voice-over): In October, Drew Fradey lost his position with a large media company. He's been temping while he job hunts, trying to save his extended unemployment benefits.

DREW FRADEY, JOB HUNTER: I'm working with 10 different agencies; they've all told me the same thing, I've never seen it this bad in 25 years of business, or 20 years of business, or whatever.

LANE: Even though the data suggests the economy is rebounding, for many it doesn't feel that way. The fallen stock market is one reason; the breadth of job losses is another.

RAE ROSEN, FEDERAL RESERVE BANK OF NEW YORK: Rather than just having it segmented on the manufacturing sector, the job losses across all ranges of income. So people are aware that their -- professionals are aware that they have friends who are out of work. That makes it feel worse. It's not just the dishwashers.

LANE: So with brave faces, the thousands like Virginia Watler and Drew Fradey keep plugging away, brushing up their skills and doing what it takes to keep up their hope.

Hillary Lane, for CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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