CONCORD, NH: Governor John Lynch today released the following statement regarding the U.S. Senate’s passage of an extension of unemployment benefits. The House has already approved a bill including extended unemployment benefits. Governor Lynch urged Congress to move quickly to pass a final bill. Without Congressional action about 20,000 in New Hampshire people would lose their unemployment coverage and will take $75 million out of New Hampshire’s economy:

"New Hampshire is leading the region in economic recovery, and as we continue to work to get people working again it is important that Congress act quickly to extend federal unemployment benefits. Failure to do so will jeopardize the economic progress we are making, and hurt thousands of New Hampshire families.

"Unemployment benefits are a critical lifeline to our people who are diligently looking for work, and who are finally seeing opportunities start to open again. If these benefits are allowed to expire, it will hurt New Hampshire workers’ ability to pay their mortgages, put food on the table and put gas in their cars so they can search for jobs. And it is not just these workers and their families who will be impacted, but businesses across our state will be hurt," Governor Lynch said.