After President Donald Trump threatened to blow up a $ 900 billion coronavirus package over several 11th-hour demands – one of which is being blocked by his own party – President Donald Trump spent Christmas Eve. golf in Florida and tweet election wings while millions of desperate Americans had to pass the holidays worry they will soon lose their few economic lifelines.
If Trump doesn’t sign the newly passed emergency measure, an estimated 14 million unemployed Americans will lose unemployment aid Saturday, a federal moratorium on eviction will expire at the end of the year, and billions of dollars in food and rent aid will balance out as new economic figures make it clear that the recession is far from over.
“Congress must pass $ 2,000 in direct payments and Trump must sign the Covid release bill. If not, tens of millions of Americans will lose their unemployment benefits, starve and be deported.”
—Sen. Bernie Sanders
“Are we going to suffer any longer? Pray for someone to come to their senses,” said Samara Crockett, a 43-year-old single mother who was fired in September. Washington Post. “I’m in survival mode. Will I get gas or food? What should I do? These are my days.”
Emergency unemployment benefits would already be temporarily suspended due to months of obstruction by the Republican-controlled Senate, but Trump’s last-minute objections to the legislation – which he did not raise during the negotiation of the measure – prompted the extension of the $ 300 a week bill is at risk. increase in unemployed aid.
Should Trump wait until Sunday or later to sign the emergency relief bill, the delay will “effectively reduce the extension of expiring unemployment programs to 10 weeks from 11 weeks,” Ben Casselman of the New York Times noted.
“Here’s why: the bill says the benefits will not be available for ‘any week of unemployment that begins before the date of entry into force of this law,'” Casselman wrote. “So if Trump does not sign the bill until next week, people won’t be able to get benefits until the next week. But the end date of the benefits doesn’t change: March 14 (with a phase-out until April 5). So workers would basically have a week in benefits. Note that this also applies to the $ 300 supplement. “
Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Who fought unsuccessfully in the new bill for larger weekly unemployment benefits, told the Times that “Trump’s tantrum threatens to cost millions of unemployed workers an income each week.”
“The ability of millions of Americans to pay rent and buy groceries is at stake, and Donald Trump spent all day playing golf,” Wyden said. ‘It is a shame.’
Too often we talk about what happens in Congress and the WH like a horse race or TV drama.
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But millions of Americans are …
– unemployment on December 26
– Forwarding
-without food / medicineB / ca covid “stimulus” bill was not rounded for 5 months https://t.co/WPPNBshzI8
– Heather Long (@byHeatherLong) December 24, 2020
On Thursday, congressional leaders signed the sprawling 5,600-page package – which includes both the coronavirus relief measure and a $ 1.4 trillion omnibus bill bill – and the White House sent it to Florida for possible president approval. Trump reportedly has not decided whether to sign the legislation, which will die on Jan. 3 with the end of the current Congress. The government will shut down on December 29.
“It’s time for Trump to stop bluffing and get the members of his party in line so that the government can deliver this long-awaited aid to people across the country in this time of great need.”
—Rep. Rashida Tlaib
In Washington, DC, House Republicans on Thursday blocked a Democratic attempt to pass on the $ 2,000 direct payments Trump claimed he wanted in a video address released earlier this week, a day after Congress approved the coronavirus relief package. Trump has not publicly criticized members of his party for blocking the $ 2,000 payments that progressives have been advocating for months.
“This holiday season, families are forced to make incredibly difficult decisions, such as whether to keep their lights on or run errands,” said Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) Thursday in a statement. “It’s time for Trump to stop bluffing and get the members of his party in line so that the government can deliver this long-awaited aid to people across the country in this time of great need.”
House Democrats plan to vote on the ground Monday on stand-alone legislation that would replace the $ 600 direct payments currently in the relief bill with $ 2,000 checks. While the measure is expected to be passed by the House of Representatives, it’s unclear whether Senate Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) Would even allow a vote on the increased payments.
“Congress must pass $ 2,000 in direct payments and Trump must sign the Covid relief law,” said Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) tweeted Thursday. “If not, tens of millions of Americans will lose their unemployment benefits, go hungry and be deported. This would be a level of government brutality that we have not seen in our lives.”