Senate Republicans on Monday unveiled a coronavirus relief package that reduces the size of improved unemployment benefits, in the short term to an additional $ 200 a week, from $ 600 today.
His proposals also include COVID-19 liability protections for companies so that “they can spend their next few months reopening rather than fighting for their lives against frivolous lawsuits,” said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. The protections would be in effect as long as companies made reasonable efforts to comply with public health guidelines and did not engage in “grossly negligent” behavior.
Entertainment industry groups have been pushing for unemployment benefits to continue, due to expire this week.
Related story
LA Mayor Eric Garcetti promises “a big step forward” in LAPD reform; Police officers agree to “accept changes” over “previous missteps”
Under the Republican plan, additional payments of $ 200 per week would extend through September. Next month, it would be replaced by a formula to replace 70 percent of a worker’s lost wages. Republicans have criticized the current amount, arguing that it pays some unemployed people more than they received when they were in the workforce.
Other aspects of the GOP plan include another round of “repayment” payments of $ 1,200, with those with incomes of up to $ 75,000 eligible for the full amount. Other provisions include an improvement in hiring and the payroll tax credit, and another to extend another round of loans to small businesses, or those that have seen a loss of income of more than 50%. Another program would grant longer-term loans to certain seasonal businesses and those in low-income areas.
The legislation, priced at around $ 1 trillion, quickly met opposition from Democrats, who see it as insufficient.
“Why do you object to more than $ 600 when people need it to buy food and pay the rent?” Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi told MSNBC.
The House of Representatives passed a coronavirus relief bill in May that would extend the additional unemployment benefits of $ 600 per week until next January. But that $ 3 trillion legislation was never adopted by the Senate.
The Republican Party legislation also includes a number of other measures, including additional money for tests, hospitals, and health workers, as well as $ 105 billion for schools and higher education.
