After threatening to blow up a $ 900 billion coronavirus relief package for several 11-hour demands – one of which is blocked by his own party – President Donald Trump spent Christmas Eve play golf in Florida i tweeting election lies as millions of desperate Americans were left to spend the holidays worrying, they would soon be deprived of their few remaining economic lives.
If Trump does not sign the recently passed relief measure, an estimated 14 million unemployed Americans will lose their unemployment benefits on Saturday, a federal moratorium on evictions will expire by the end of the year, and thousands will be left behind. millions of dollars in nutritional aid and rent. equilibrium, as new economic metrics make it clear that the recession is not over.
“Congress must approve $ 2,000 in direct payments and Trump must sign Covid’s relief bill. Otherwise, tens of millions of Americans will lose their unemployment benefits, starve and face the eviction “.
“Without.” Bernie Sanders
“Shall we have to suffer longer? Pray for someone to be right,” said Samara Crockett, a 43-year-old single mother who was fired in September. Washington Post. “I’m in survival mode. Can I get gas or food? What do I do? That’s how my days are.”
Unemployment emergency benefits were due to expire temporarily due to months of Republican-controlled Senate obstruction, but Trump’s last-minute objections to the legislation – which he did not raise during negotiations on the measure – endanger the project extension and $ 300 a week. increase in unemployment benefits.
If Trump waited until Sunday or later to sign relief legislation, the delay “will effectively reduce the extension of unemployment programs that expire to ten weeks from 11 a.m.,” said Ben Casselman of the New York News pointed out.
“That’s the reason: the bill says benefits will not be available during” any week of unemployment that begins before the date this law is enacted, “Casselman wrote.” So if Trump doesn’t sign the bill until next week, people won’t be able to get benefits until next week. But the end date of benefits does not change: March 14 (with a phasing out until April 5). Thus, workers would effectively lose a week of benefits. Please note that this also applies to the $ 300 supplement. “
Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Who fought unsuccessfully to get higher weekly unemployment payments on the new bill, told the Time that “Trump’s rage threatens to cost millions of unemployed workers a week’s income.”
“The ability of millions of Americans to pay rent and buy groceries hangs off the scales and Donald Trump spent the day playing golf,” Wyden said. “It’s embarrassing.”
Too often we talk about what happens in Congress and the WH like a horse race or a drama for television.
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But millions of Americans are …
-closing unemployment on December 26
-Faced with eviction
-without food / medicinesThe covid “stimulus” bill B / ca was not completed for 5 monthshttps: //t.co/WPPNBshzI8
– Heather Long (@byHeatherLong) December 24, 2020
On Thursday, congressional leaders signed the extensive 5,600-page package – which includes both the coronavirus relief measure and a $ 1.4 trillion omnibus government funding bill – and the White House on sent to Florida for possible approval by the president. Trump has reportedly not decided whether to sign the legislation, which will die on Jan. 3 with the end of the current Congress. The government will close on December 29th.
“It’s time for Trump to stop bluffing and line up his party members so that the government can provide this long-awaited relief to people across the country during this time of great need.”
—Rep. Rashida Tlaib
Meanwhile, in Washington, DC, House Republicans on Thursday blocked a Democratic attempt to pass the $ 2,000 direct payments Trump claimed to want in a video address published 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, which progressives have been advocating for months.
“This holiday season, families are being forced to make incredibly difficult decisions, such as whether they should keep the lights on or buy groceries,” Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) Said Thursday. “It’s time for Trump to stop bluffing and line up his party members so that the government can provide this long-awaited relief to people across the country during this time of great need.”
House Democrats plan to hold a vote Monday on independent legislation that would replace the current $ 600 direct payments on the relief bill with $ 2,000. While the measure is expected to pass in the House, it is unclear whether Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) Would even allow the increase in payments to be voted on.
“Congress has to approve $ 2,000 in direct payments and Trump has to sign Covid’s relief bill,” said Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) he tweeted Thursday. “Otherwise, tens of millions of Americans will lose their unemployment benefits, go hungry and be expelled. That would be a level of government cruelty that is not seen in our lives.”