Congresswoman Kathy Castor released the following statement regarding the House’s passage of legislation to provide extended unemployment benefits in at least 27 states, including Florida:

“Extending unemployment benefits to families who have suffered job loss will help keep them afloat while the economy begins to recover. Studies have shown that families who receive such a lifeline are likely to invest at least a portion of the money back into the community to purchase necessities, giving a boost to our local businesses that also are distressed during this economic downturn.

“The ripple effects cannot be underestimated. Moody’s Economy has estimated that every dollar of unemployment benefits generates $1.63 in economic activity. The Congressional Budget Office has said unemployment benefits are one of the most cost-efficient forms of economic stimulus.

“These additional benefits mean families will be able to buy groceries, pay their doctors bills and keep up with their mortgage payments.

“Although the economy is rebounding, too many Floridians continue to feel squeezed by the economic downturn. Extending unemployment benefits will offer breathing room while people look for work and the economy gets back on track.”

More than 27,000 Floridians are expected to exhaust their unemployment benefits by the end of September, and nearly 115,000 are expected to exhaust their benefits by the end of the year, according the House Ways and Means Committee.

The legislation provides up to an additional 13 weeks of unemployment benefits to states with unemployment rates above 8.5 percent. Florida’s unemployment rate is 10.7 percent. In the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater area, the unemployment rate hit 11.3 percent in August. Hillsborough County’s unemployment rate is 11.1 percent.