Seattle Congressman Jim McDermott has introduced the Unemployment Insurance Modernization Act.

The proposed law would transform the Unemployment Insurance program to meet the growing needs of a workforce changed dramatically since the program's inception. The current unemployment insurance program fails to provide any assistance to two-thirds of unemployed workers, many of whom lost their jobs because of an economic downturn or technology and global competition, McDermott says.

"Just because the transition to a global economy is inevitable does not mean that economic threats posed to American workers are inevitable too. We can provide workers with a safety net woven in the 21st century, to meet the needs of a new era" McDermott says.

McDermott's legislation is seen as an important step in the right direction by independent organizations like the National Employment Law Project, which advocates on behalf of American workers.

"This bill gives the states the federal help needed to seriously modernize the nation's unemployment program to address the gaps that have left out the growing ranks of low-wage workers, women with families and the long-term unemployed in today's increasingly unstable economy," says Maurice Emsellem, policy director for the law project.