DSCC spokesperson Stewart Boss issued the following statement on reports that more than 1 million Americans filed new claims for unemployment benefits this past week while Senate Republicans continue to block an extension of emergency unemployment relief:
“As Senate Republicans settled in for their second week of August recess, another one million Americans filed new jobless claims and will be without the federal relief they and their families need to make ends meet. Rather than alleviating the financial strain that so many hardworking Americans are facing, Senate Republicans wasted weeks bickering among themselves and insisted they didn’t see ‘a big need’ to extend emergency unemployment relief. Republicans have had months to fix this mess, but they’ve chosen to play political games and hang their constituents out to dry.”
Senate Republicans created an “urgent crisis” when they let emergency unemployment relief expire nearly a month ago. And despite Federal Reserve officials, economists, governors and mayors warning that “the risk to the economy grows every day that goes by without a deal,” Mitch McConnell and his caucus are refusing to negotiate, and are instead on day 14 of their month-long vacation.
Are Mitch McConnell and Senate Republicans still blocking urgently needed relief? Yes.
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