Emergency unemployment benefits for millions of Americans fell from one day to the next President TrumpDonald Trump Post Office Named After Senior Pearl Harbor Veteran Federal Agents Seek Residence In Antioch In Connection With Nashville Explosion Sunday Show Preview: COVID-19 Relief Awaiting Trump’s Signature; government continues to roll out MORE vaccines and Congress was still stalled over how much people have to pay for emergency checks as part of a massive economic stimulus bill for the coronavirus.
President Trump has refused to sign the legislation after demanding Congress to increase the amount of individual stimulus checks to Americans from the proposed $ 600 to $ 2,000.
The Democrats welcomed Trump’s demand, but Republicans on Capitol Hill rejected the idea.
“It’s the day after Christmas and millions of families don’t know if they will be able to make ends meet as President Donald Trump refuses to sign an emergency economic aid bill passed by Congress by an overwhelming and bipartisan majority,” said Elected president Joe BidenJoe BidenBrother of Biden adviser Ricchetti hired as lobbyist at Amazon Sunday shows preview: COVID-19 relief awaits Trump’s signature; government continues vaccination. Global COVID-19 Cases Surpass 80 Million MORE said in a statement on Saturday, adding that Trump’s refusal to sign the bill would have “devastating consequences” for the American people and the country’s economy.
Trump defended his harsh approach to stimulus controls in a tweet late Saturday night.
“$ 2000 + $ 2000 plus other family members. Not $ 600,” Trump tweeted. “Remember, it was China’s fault!”
$ 2000 + $ 2000 plus other family members. Not $ 600. Remember, it was China’s fault!
– Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 27, 2020
An estimated 12 million Americans are affected by the inaction.
A program set up under legislation earlier this year in the initial response to the coronavirus pandemic provided benefits to handymen and other people who were not eligible for traditional unemployment, while another program helped those who are long-term unemployed.
A record number of Americans have filed for unemployment benefits since the start of the pandemic, with many restaurants, bars, hotels and other small businesses closed due to public health orders.
“The whole experience was horrible,” said McCarthy. “I shudder to think that if I hadn’t saved or had an emergency fund in those five months, where would we have been?”
The government plans to shut down Tuesday unless Trump signs a package containing a $ 1.4 trillion omnibus bill tied to COVID-19 legislation, or Congress approves another measure before then that keeps government operations funded .
Trump has also criticized certain spending provisions in the funding laws. His administration supported those provisions during the package negotiation, with some of the priorities reflected in presidential budgets.