President Trump’s coronavirus – related executive actions are likely to be constitutional, despite expressions of dissatisfaction by members of both parties, Senate Homeland Security Chairman Ron Johnson, R-Wis., Told Monday “Your World.”
“First of all, I think the way the president and his legal team have done this, [it’s] pretty narrow in scope and so I think [is], they probably have the authority under relief from disasters [legislation], “Johnson told host Neil Cavuto.
“My judgment … is [that] his legal team has done a pretty good job of showing just what legal authority he has. He uses it to the extent he can. But that’s part of the problem, “Johnson continued. He is forced in terms of what he can do. “
On Saturday, Trump signed four executive actions aimed at providing financial relief to Americans amid the coronavirus pandemic as negotiations over a so-called “Phase 4” incentive package reached a stalemate on Capitol Hill.
WHAT IS IN PRESIDENT TRUMP’S FOR CORONAVIRUS RELIEF EXECUTIVE ORDERS?
Trump’s executive actions called for $ 400 a week in federal supplementary unemployment assistance – a replacement for the program passed in early July by the CARES Act that gave unemployed people $ 600 a week.
The action – which Johnson said “is pretty thick due to FEMA disaster relief” would require states to pay for 25% of the $ 400 weekly benefit, while the federal government would raise 75%.
Democrats in Congress initially sought a $ 3.4 trillion package, but later said they had reduced their asking price in talks to $ 2 trillion. Republicans had proposed a trillion-dollar plan.
Johnson said Democrats “were not interested in the deal” and slammed House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for passing the $ 3 trillion HEROES Act in May, which he said “signaled to me that they would just play politics.”
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Unlike Democrats, who proposed “a massive amount of spending,” Republican lawmakers are “actually worried about the debt,” Johnson argues.
“[We are] $ 26.5 trillion in debt, we do not have an unlimited checking account, so I think Republicans are trying to be accountable, “he explained. That’s for sure. “
Fox Business’ Megan Henney contributed to this report.
