Tag: coronavirus relief bill
CARES act, relief bill

President Dumps Relief Bill To Focus On Supreme Court Confirmation

Reprinted with permission from Alternet

Is President Donald Trump actively trying to lose the 2020 presidential election?

I don't actually believe that's what he's doing, but it would be easy to get that impression.

On Tuesday afternoon, Trump effectively torpedoed the ongoing congressional negotiations for a second round of stimulus funds, which were likely his best hope of turning around his re-election chances:

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Donald Trump, Oval office

Trump Falsely Blames Democrats For Relief Delay

Donald Trump lied on Friday when he claimed that he was authorizing a new round of direct payments to Americans, but that Democrats in Congress were holding them up.

"I have directed [Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin] to get ready to send direct payments ($3,400 for family of four) to all Americans," Trump tweeted. "DEMOCRATS ARE HOLDING THIS UP!"

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Mitch McConnell, Donald Trump

Senate Republicans Allow Vital Jobless Benefits To Lapse, Then Flees Capital

Reprinted with permission from Alternet

Despite the pandemic-induced recession, millions of jobless Americans have been kept afloat by an uncharacteristically generous act of Congress. In addition to their state's usual unemployment payments — usually a fraction of their previous wages — Americans have been eligible to receive and additional $600 a week, desperately needed support for people who saw their incomes crater.

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Mitch McConnell

Senate Adjourns Without Extending $600 Jobless Benefit

UPDATE: Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said Friday that he doesn't expect to pass a new coronavirus relief bill before the end of July when expanded unemployment benefits expire. "Hopefully we can come together behind some package we can agree on in the next few weeks," he said at an event in Ashland, KY, according to the Washington Post.

The Republican-controlled Senate left Washington, D.C. without releasing a plan for the next round of coronavirus relief — a move that all but ensures a $600 weekly unemployment insurance benefit millions of Americans have been receiving for months will now expire.

Republicans spent the week fighting among themselves about what should be in the next package of coronavirus relief — and ultimately punted releasing their plan until next week.

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