Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Senate Republicans are returning from their month-long summer break and are still blocking a full extension of unemployment insurance and sufficient aid for Americans impacted by the coronavirus. Instead of taking action to provide real relief for working families, Senate Republican are now planning a vote on a stunt bill that slashes unemployment benefits in half and fails to adequately fund state and local governments, schools and the U.S. Postal Service. McConnell and his caucus have consistently refused to work on negotiating a bipartisan deal for additional coronavirus relief.
“Senate Republicans abandoned millions of struggling families across the country when they failed to pass a relief package for months, allowed emergency unemployment relief to lapse, and then skipped town nearly a month ago for an extended summer break,” said DSCC spokesperson Helen Kalla. “Now, McConnell and Republicans are pushing a stunt bill that does not provide enough relief for families instead of working on a bipartisan measure that gives Americans the resources they need. It’s clear that Senate Republicans would rather play political games than pass meaningful relief.”
A recent Washington Post report detailed how the millions of Americans who have lost their jobs during the coronavirus pandemic are facing “increasingly desperate situations” as a result of Senate Republicans’ refusal to extend emergency unemployment relief after letting benefits expire at the end of July. The “anger” from jobless Americans “was directed at Republicans, who control the White House and the Senate.”
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