DSCC spokesperson Stewart Boss issued the following statement on reports that more than 1.7 million Americans filed new claims for unemployment assistance this past week while Senate Republicans are pushing to gut emergency unemployment relief:
“There are nearly 30 million Americans out of work and experts warn that ‘more pain is ahead’ for our economy, but Senate Republicans have responded by letting relief programs expire, taking a month-long summer vacation, and now pushing to slash emergency unemployment insurance in half while providing no additional aid to state and local governments. After abandoning millions of struggling families across the country for months, Republicans in the Senate care more about creating talking points and political cover for themselves than helping hardworking families in their states put food on the table and make rent. The response to this pandemic from Majority Leader McConnell and his caucus has been an abject failure, and Americans are rightly outraged by their indefensible actions that have made this crisis worse.”
After creating an “urgent crisis” over a month ago by letting emergency unemployment relief expire, McConnell and Senate Republicans took a month-long vacation and left nearly 30 million jobless Americans with no relief. Despite grim reports and warnings that the U.S. economy remains at risk, Senate Republicans are still pushing to gut the emergency unemployment benefits that have been a lifeline for millions of hardworking families, allowing them to put food on the table and keep a roof over their heads. McConnell and his caucus have consistently refused to work on negotiating a bipartisan deal for additional coronavirus relief.
Are Mitch McConnell and Senate Republicans still blocking urgently needed relief? Yes.
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