Did you see the headlines yesterday about the bailed out Wall Street firm, AIG, that gave $165 million in government funded bonuses to their executives? We need your help getting federal stimulus money where it was intended to go: Into the pockets of people who really need it.

You helped get unemployment insurance expanded for part-time and low wage workers as part of the federal economic stimulus package, and now we need your help again making sure that money gets to Main Street. You see, in order to get this money flowing to where it belongs, your state needs to pass laws to update its unemployment insurance programs so that it will be eligible for all the available funding to help families (you can read more about why below).

Tell your WA Legislators and Governor not to leave unemployment insurance money from Congress on the table!

http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=26888

Improving Unemployment Insurance comes not a moment too soon: New unemployment numbers were just released, and now nearly 1 in 12 eligible workers in America is out of a job.

As more and more people lose jobs in this recession, we need to make sure we have a strong and comprehensive system of unemployment insurance to back up our nation's families. But many states have old and outdated rules which need updating in order to cover low wage and part-time workers and to get the federal stimulus funds where they were intended to go. After all, the income from part-time and low wage jobs is essential for many families. Congress knew this when they passed the stimulus package, and now the states need to follow suit and take action too.

This expansion of unemployment insurance will especially help mothers and children, because mothers hold a disproportionate amount of the low wage and part-time jobs in our nation.

Here's how it works: Congress approved the funds to cover the costs of expanding Unemployment Insurance programs, but these programs are all run independently by state governments. Each state has its own unemployment insurance agency, rules and, well, everything. So, in order to qualify for those funds from the federal government, each state, individually, has to have legislation in place that expands Unemployment Insurance.

Tell your WA Legislators that now is the time to extend the lifeline to families and expand unemployment insurance eligibility to include more women and mothers.

http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=26888

After you send a letter to your legislators, forward this email to your friends so they can take action too. Make sure your legislators (and your friend's!) know that you've got your eye on them, and you want them to take all the help they can get to expand unemployment coverage now, when people need it the most.

Thank you!